The New York Yankees are 49-40 this season, four games back of the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East. Recently, the Yankees have been on a bit of a slide. The team has won only one of their last 10 games.
New York now gets a chance to make up some ground on Tampa Bay. The two clubs will begin a four-game set Monday evening, with the finale on Thursday afternoon.
During their game versus the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. left the game in the top of the sixth inning. It was later reported that it was due to “right big toe discomfort.”
Now entering a pivotal series versus the division-leading Rays, Chisholm is right back in the lineup. He will bat sixth and play second base.
After making a bold statement preseason about going 50/50 (50 home runs and 50 stolen bases), the 28-year-old is having a bit of a down season.
In 85 games, Chisholm is batting .225 with a .307 on-base percentage and .703 OPS. He has 12 home runs, 33 RBIs and 26 stolen bases.
Chisholm is in the midst of a 9-for-45 stretch dating back to June 20. He has slugged just .289 during this time with one home run. The second baseman is just one of many Yankees to have been slumping in this window.
Even while having a tough season offensively, Chisholm’s glove has been especially valuable. His eight outs above average rank in the 97th percentile for MLB fielders (h/t Baseball Savant). That mark ranks third at the 2B position.
Chisholm is playing out the final year of his arbitration eligibility, meaning he will become an unrestricted free agent following this season. With the way he is playing right now, he may not get as much value on the market as he would have after 2025.
Nonetheless, the Yankees will need his services as they attempt to get out of this current slump. They take on the Rays at 6:40 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field.
