Jazz Chisholm Jr. Struggles But Refuses to Sit Out

Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been grappling with mixed emotions this season. After a frustrating game against the Mariners, where he struck out three times, he felt a jumbled blend of disappointment and guarded optimism. Yet, one thing he didn’t want was to take a step back and sit on the bench for a few days.

“I really don’t think that helps,” Chisholm remarked after the tough 1-0 loss. “The only way I can handle this is by pushing through it. Just sitting around doesn’t seem beneficial.”

He was recently pinch-hit against a lefty during a game against the Braves, and while the Yankees might consider using him similarly again, Chisholm isn’t keen on that idea either.

“My stats have kind of improved compared to last year… well, against left-handed pitchers,” he said, unsure of why his performance fluctuates.

Interestingly, Chisholm’s batting average looks similar when facing righties and lefties, but his on-base plus slugging (OPS) significantly drops—close to 90 points—against left-handers.

The Yankees have also bolstered their lineup by trading Heriot Ramos, who pinch-hit for Spencer Jones during Thursday’s game.

Chisholm’s current OPS sits at .687, a steep drop from last year’s .813, and he seems to be running out of ideas on how to fix these in-season hitting challenges. Many numbers are somewhat aligned, yet the downturn is glaring.

When discussing why his whiff rate on breaking pitches is around 40 percent, Chisholm candidly shared, “Honestly, I’m whiffing about 40 percent on every pitch right now.” He expressed frustration about missing crucial pitches, like fastballs and sliders that he felt he should have capitalized on.

Chisholm mentioned discussions with Paul Goldschmidt regarding the pressures of free agency, but he emphasized that those worries feel comparatively lighter next to his current struggles.

With the Yankees facing broader hitting challenges, Chisholm’s situation remains a pressing concern. Manager Aaron Boone noted, “Overall, I think he’s making sound swing decisions. There’s patience to his game. But… he just hasn’t found that consistent rhythm yet.”

Chisholm remains hopeful, stating, “Forty-one good games could change everything. That’s what I’m aiming for.” He insists he’s still in a good mental space, and if that were to falter, he believes things would look quite different. “I still feel solid mentally,” he added.