The Yankees will probably Jazz Chisholm Jr. is on the 10-day injured list with a UCL injury in his left elbow, manager Aaron Boone told the New York Beat (as relayed to X by the Athletic’s Chris Kirschner). The organization is unsure if Chisholm will need surgery.
If there is a silver lining, it is the injury to Chisholm’s non-throwing arm. It is still a major blow that will take the Yankees’ most important addition out of the lineup. Chisholm has had an excellent start to his time in the Bronx. He has already hit seven home runs in 14 games. Since the trade, he has a batting average of .316/.361/.702 in 61 appearances.
Chisholm had hit 13 home runs with Miami. This is his first major league season in which he reaches the 20-home run mark. He has also taken 27 bases (including a perfect 5-5 performance with the Yankees) and now has an above-average slash line of .257/.328/.445 on the year. The Yankees have won nine of 14 games since Chisholm joined the team. They enter tonight’s game a half-game behind the Orioles, who are battling for the top spot in the AL East. Baltimore is tied with the Guardians for first place in the American League, so that’s a big issue for New York, too.
While Chisholm spent his entire career with the Marlins in the middle of the field (primarily at second base or center field), he moved to the hot corner in the Bronx. Chisholm has started all 14 games since the Yankees signed him. Thirteen of those have been at third base, while he started once in center field. The hot corner has been a problem for New York all season. Aside from Chisholm, the Yankees’ third basemen have posted a batting average of .231/.292/.320 in 419 plate appearances.
Oswaldo Cabrera And DJ LeMahieu have gotten the bulk of that work and neither has hit at league-average levels. The Yankees have LeMahieu as the right-handed half of a first-base platoon with left-swinging Ben Rice lately. This could point to Cabrera, who will be given the nod tonight against the White Sox right-hander Jonathan Cannonas the first option if Chisholm is out. Oswald Perazawho is hitting .244/.352/.384 in a fairly mediocre Triple-A season, is on the 40-man roster. Jorbit Vivaswhom the Yankees acquired in an offseason trade with the Dodgers. The Yankees brought in Vivas just before the All-Star break, but did not let him play in a game. He has a batting average of .242/.379/.374 in 58 Triple-A games.
The Yankees can no longer turn to the transfer market for more than reinforcements for the minor leagues. Amed Rosario will be placed on waivers after being designated for transfer by the Dodgers last night. If Chisholm is out for an extended period of time, the Yankees could look to claim the right-handed infielder. However, New York is behind everyone else except the Phillies, Guardians and Orioles in waiver priority. There’s a good chance another team will claim Rosario before the Yankees get a chance.
