Jazz Chisholm Jr. Hits Home Run After Painful Experience

There’s no need to stress over the cup situation.

The ideal way to sidestep the kind of hit Jazz Chisholm Jr. took on Thursday night? Just hit the ball like he did on Friday. After being ejected mid-at-bat the previous evening following a foul ball that struck him in the groin, Chisholm made a strong return to the Yankees’ lineup. On Friday, he smacked a changeup into the right-field second deck, contributing to a 5-0 victory against the Reds.

“It felt amazing,” Chisholm expressed. He’s been on a roll lately, hitting six out of his eleven home runs in just 18 games. “Leaving the game [the previous night] was tough, and while I couldn’t help my teammates win, starting the game and getting us ahead early felt great.”

His sentiments were quite different the night before. Chisholm described that moment after the foul ball with pain levels akin to “a million.”

“If you’ve ever been hit there, you know exactly what I mean,” he said on Friday afternoon.

When asked whether he’d consider wearing a cup after Thursday’s incident, he firmly replied, “No way.”

“I’ve never had a reason before,” he added. “Sure, now I have one, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to wear it.”

Chisholm noted that cups were mandatory in the minor leagues, but he never got used to them. “I just don’t do cups,” he stated.

In contrast, Yankees manager Aaron Boone recounted a different mentality from his playing days. “I remember preparing for soft toss back in December and wearing a cup on my head,” he joked. “That’s the difference between our generation and today’s—a cup was just part of the routine for us.”

Chisholm implied that his refusal to wear a cup comes from an unwavering confidence in his defensive skills.

“If you’re not sure about your own abilities, then sure, I’d recommend wearing one,” he said.

Some teammates were spotted chuckling in the dugout while trainers attended to him before it became clear he wouldn’t continue. “They just asked how I was doing,” Chisholm recounted lightheartedly, adding, “I definitely felt it.”

On a different note, the night proved successful for Yankees Northeast scout Matt Hyde, who signed both Cam Schlitler and Ben Rice. Schlitler, a seventh-round pick from Northeastern University, pitched six scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts, while Rice, a 12th-round pick from Dartmouth, hit his 21st three-run homer this season.

“But, you know, they came from a hotbed of major league talent,” Boone said with a chuckle. “These two kids from Massachusetts are really something special.”

“Kudos to Matty Hyde and everyone who contributed to their journey. They seem to be two key players for us, clearly making an impact,” he added.

In other news, Austin Wells, dealing with some neck pain, played three rehab games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday. He went 0-for-4 with a walk in eight innings. Boone didn’t specify whether Wells would continue his rehab over the weekend, but it wouldn’t be a shock if he met with the team in Detroit on Monday.

Max Fried also pitched in his second bullpen session as he recovers from a left elbow contusion. It’s uncertain when he might face opposing hitters again, but an early August return seems possible. Meanwhile, reliever Peter Strzelecki has opted out of his minor league contract with the Yankees, becoming a free agent.