Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. Reflects on Season Struggles
Jazz Chisholm Jr. confessed on Sunday that he’s “been a mess all season,” but there might have been a broader context—perhaps he was alluding to the Yankees’ lineup as a whole, especially since Aaron Judge’s absence.
After just one night, both Chisholm and his teammates seemed to find their groove, taking advantage of the Pirates’ pitching and even getting into a little scuffle.
Chisholm led the charge with two home runs, and despite a brief struggle late Monday against a crowd of 42,348 in the Bronx, the Yankees delivered an impressive 8-5 victory, something they’d lacked in the post-umpire era.
This Yankees squad, previously in a slump that saw them exceed five runs only once in 27 games without Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, bounced back with eight runs and 11 hits just through the third inning.
Chisholm, who hit the game-winner on Sunday, really stepped it up, launching three consecutive home runs. He scored three runs in the first inning and hit another two-run homer in the fourth, close to the foul pole.
A little drama unfolded when Jose Caballero and former Yankee Dennis Santana had a moment, leading to some exchanged words as the benches cleared—though it seemed to be more verbal than physical.
The Yankees (56-44) have now secured six wins in eight games and sit a game and a half behind the Rays in their division. While the pressure isn’t off completely, they might feel a bit more relaxed than they did a week ago.
It was only their second strong offensive performance since June 18, but credit to the Yankees for finally getting some assists. The Pirates (52-49)—decent, I’d say—seemed reminiscent of their past in the first inning when Paul Goldschmidt’s grounder slipped through the gloves of third baseman Nick Gonzalez.
Ben Rice had a bold dash from first to third, with Goldschmidt making it to second. When left fielder Bryan Reynolds attempted a throw amid confusion on the bases, it turned into a two-foot flick, almost allowing Rice to score untouched.
Then Chisholm became pivotal. After a single from Cody Bellinger, he sent the first of his two home runs into right field for a tentative 4-0 lead.
Ryan Weathers struggled on the mound, conceding all his runs in just a couple of innings. The Pirates’ early game saw their first three batters hitting successfully, with Jared Toriolo sneaking in an RBI double later. Following that, Pittsburgh snatched a lead with a two-run home run from rookie sensation Esmerlin Valdez.
In the third inning, after Goldschmidt’s single, Chisholm confidently smacked a slider, keeping it in play and ensuring it didn’t drift foul as it soared into the stands after making its way around the pole.
This notable swing capped off the night’s scoring, and the Yankees, needing some consistency after a doubleheader, saw Weathers effectively pitch through 14 outs.
Once he exited, the bullpen stepped up, with Angel Chivili, Brent Headrick, Tim Hill, and Fernando Cruz delivering over four scoreless innings against the Pirates.
