Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s season with the New York Yankees ended as a pinch hitter in Game 3 of the ALDS, a frustrating finale after manager Aaron Boone benched him to start the game. His struggles at the plate and in the field were just too much, ultimately contributing to the Yankees’ 4-3 loss that knocked them out. But here is the real kicker, per Bob Klapisch of the Newark Star Ledger: Chisholm’s erratic performance isn’t new. This has been a recurring issue, one that even Yankees legend Derek Jeter tried to fix years ago when he was a minority owner in Miami.
Jeter’s Ultimatum: “Get Your Head on Right”
When Chisholm was with the Miami Marlins, Jeter, then a minority owner and CEO, and manager Don Mattingly both met with him. These weren’t casual chats; they were repeated, urgent conversations where they “begged him to get his head straight.” The message was direct and powerful: “You have superstar talent. You have to get your head right. You have to focus. You have to make this a priority.” This is a huge revelation because it confirms what many suspected about Chisholm’s potential versus his consistency. What’s even wilder is that the Yankees knew all this when they traded for him. They weren’t blindsided. They actually thought a clubhouse loaded with veterans like Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Gerrit Cole could finally get through to him. Clearly, that didn’t happen.
From All-Star Cover Boy to ALDS Bench Warmer
Chisholm’s recent struggles were pretty brutal. He went 0-for-6 at the plate in the first two ALDS games against the Tampa Bay Rays and then committed a costly error in Game 2. That’s why Anthony Volpe started Game 3 instead of him. Chisholm wasn’t happy about the benching, telling reporters he wished he’d gotten a heads-up. “I’d always prefer a conversation, so I would at least know what I’m walking into,” he said, even though Boone *did* inform him ahead of time about not playing in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox. This guy’s career has been a rollercoaster. He was originally signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2015, traded to Miami in 2019, and made his big-league debut in 2020. Jeter, who became CEO of the Marlins in 2017, stepped down in 2022 due to differences over payroll, but not before seeing Chisholm’s insane highs. The dude hit 14 homers in just 60 games during an injury-plagued 2022 season, earning his first All-Star nod and even landing on the cover of MLB The Show 23 as the only Marlins player ever to do so. Last year was his best with a .242/.332/.481 slash line, 31 homers, and 31 stolen bases. But this season? He aimed for a 50-50 year and slumped to 19 homers in 137 games, though he did swipe a career-high 41 bases. His defense has been all over the place, too, finishing 15th out of 17 qualified second basemen in defensive runs saved this year, despite some good grades in outs above average and field run value.
So, what’s next? Jazz Chisholm Jr. is set to hit free agency this offseason, and he’ll be one of the youngest players in that class. Evaluating him is going to be incredibly tough for any team looking to sign him. He’s got the talent, but can he ever put it all together? That’s the million-dollar question after a season that ended with him on the bench and Jeter’s old words echoing loud.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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