Jazz Chisholm Jr. made a comeback in what appears to be an ongoing competition for the Yankees’ infield, registering a hit, a walk, and a significant defensive slip-up.
Activated from the injured list for the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader, Chisholm took his place at second base, while Anthony Volpe, who had effectively filled in during Chisholm’s absence, played the first game.
However, Chisholm’s most notable moment came when he failed to cover first base during a safety squeeze in the Yankees’ 6-1 defeat, a loss that allowed the Rays to secure the division title.
In the seventh inning, with one out and runners on the corners, manager Aaron Boone noted that the Yankees anticipated a bunt from Taylor Walls at the plate. And, indeed, Walls executed a bunt towards first base, with Luis García Jr. rushing in to make the play.
Chisholm initially headed toward first but hesitated, thinking García would pull back and cover. Instead, Chisholm lingered near second base.
Boone pointed out that Chisholm “has just got to go [to first base] every time,” a sentiment echoed by Chisholm, who recognized his error and remarked, “Next time, I’ll just keep going through.” He had recently been sidelined for two weeks due to a right thumb sprain on September 8 and returned to a team that is still determining its infield lineup with just five games left before the postseason.
When asked if Volpe would continue to play second base with Chisholm back, Boone said, “We’ll see.”
Chisholm finished the first game of the doubleheader with a 1-for-3 performance, including a single and a walk, while Volpe went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts. Before this, Volpe had a solid .286 batting average and a .753 OPS over ten games while Chisholm was on the IL.
There’s also a need to address the situation at third base, where Ryan McMahon has struggled defensively and offensively. In the first game against Martinez, José Caballero started at third, securing a single and stealing two bases, but McMahon took his turn in the second game against Drew Rasmussen. Unfortunately, he did not have a good outing, going 0-for-2 with a strikeout and failing to make a challenging play on a chopper from Nick Fortes, which resulted in an infield single.
Boone expressed the need to give “regular reps” to both Caballero and McMahon, noting McMahon’s recent struggles at the plate, where he entered Tuesday’s games with just 6 hits in 40 at-bats and an OPS of .402 since returning from a thumb sprain.
Amed Rosario, who was signed to play third against lefties, hasn’t been effective in that role this season, leading the Yankees to rely on Caballero and McMahon for the last few weeks.
To create space on the roster for Chisholm’s return, Max Schuemann was sent down to the FCL Yankees.
Clarke Schmidt, who had been experiencing cramping in his biceps while warming up during a game against Arizona, played catch on Tuesday. Boone mentioned that the team was waiting for medical advice on Schmidt’s availability, but reports indicated he was still feeling discomfort. There’s a possibility Schmidt could be placed on the injured list as he tries to secure a spot on the postseason roster after a long recovery from Tommy John surgery.
Ryan Weathers completed a bullpen session between games as he works back from a left forearm strain, while Fernando Cruz, recovering from UCL issues, also engaged in light throwing.
The Yankees haven’t finalized their playoff rotation yet, but Gerrit Cole has started the first postseason game each year since joining the team in 2020 when healthy. Set to pitch Wednesday, Cole was asked how he would feel if Cam Schlittler took the mound in the first game of the wild-card series, to which he replied, “Fine by me.” Cole echoed a similar sentiment previously when there were talks of Nestor Cortes starting in 2022, emphasizing that his focus is simply on being his best no matter the decision.
Meanwhile, Giancarlo Stanton was seen jogging in the outfield on Tuesday. He sustained his third calf strain of the season—this time in his left leg—over a month ago, and his return remains uncertain. The Yankees have achieved at least 90 wins in eight of the past nine full seasons. In Game 1, the Yankees lost both Automated Ball-Strike challenges early on, with Ali Sánchez and Heliot Ramos making less-than-effective appeals in the first inning.
