This story was originally published by Dead Spin
The New York Yankees desperately needed a spark.
Following an MLB-best 50-22 start that had their fans dreaming of another World Series parade, the Yankees stopped hitting and pitching. In the span of six weeks, they dropped 23 of 34 games, with the July 30 trade deadline fast approaching.
Enter Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, pushing the right button on July 27 by trading three prospects for Miami Marlins infielder/outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., whose charismatic demeanor, flashy style, and exciting brand of baseball lit a fire under the staid Bronx Bombers.
A 2022 All-Star as the face of the Marlins, 26-year-old Chisholm has been thrust into the bright lights of New York, which seemingly enhanced his brilliance.
Will Chisholm serve as the catalyst of a deep playoff run in the Bronx? If his first week is any indication of the impact he can have on the Yankees, then the answer is a resounding yes.
All Chisholm did was post consecutive two-homer games while hitting .300 with eight RBIs. New York rolled to a series win at Boston and a three-game sweep at Philadelphia.
“This is a good place for him, honestly,” Don Mattingly, who managed Chisholm with the Marlins from 2020–22, told the New York Post. “I just think he likes the spotlight. I think it’s just better for him. (Aaron) Judge and those types of guys around him—he’s a really good player.”
Chisholm has not only thrived offensively in his new home, but he’s also impressed manager Aaron Boone with his prowess at third base, a position he had never played in the majors.
“If you didn’t know any better, you’d say Jazz Chisholm is one of the best defenders in the league,” Boone told MLB Network Radio.
Boone also relayed that Chisholm, never lacking self-confidence, recently told him, “‘Man, I think I was born to play third base.’”
Under team control through 2026, Chisholm appears to have the intestinal fortitude to thrive in one of baseball’s toughest cities, unlike several others who have come before him.
He displayed his playful side at his introductory press conference before his first home game, donning a T-shirt with “314” emblazoned on the front, a reference to Yankee Stadium’s short porch in right field.
“I think it’s going to be kind of fun,” he told reporters. “I don’t think I hit all my home runs to the right field line, anyway. Most of my home runs are really right-center field to center field. So I’m just kidding with the 314 shirt, obviously.”
Chisholm reached the postseason twice with the Marlins, but with just one playoff series win under his belt, he’s motivated to be a key piece of the puzzle as the Yankees pursue their 28th World Series title.
“It’s more something to play for—playing for a championship, playing to go get a ring, and the other guys in the clubhouse believing that we can go get a ring, too,” he said. “It’s a lot more exciting to be out there with the guys that I’m out there with now, like a Aaron Judge and a Juan Soto, guys that could push me to my absolute best.”
