BOSTON – After speaking to Jazz Chisholm Jr. on the phone on Saturday night, Aaron Boone came away with a strong first impression.
“He wants to win,” the manager said of his newest player before the Yankees faced the Red Sox on Sunday. “You certainly could hear it in his voice how excited he is to be coming here.”
Chisholm, acquired from the Marlins for prospects Agustín Ramírez, Jared Serna and Abrahan Ramírez on Saturday, did not make it to Fenway Park in time to chat with reporters before Sunday’s game. However, Boone had Chisholm playing center and batting fifth in his Yankees debut.
While Boone didn’t rule out using Chisholm as a leadoff man — his primary slot in Miami — he said he sees the newcomer as a middle of the order threat. Boone feels Alex Verdugo is starting to swing the bat well after a few nights of leading off, and Gleyber Torres can bat first when the Yankees face lefties.
Chisholm, a lefty swinger, hit .249/.323/.407 with 14 doubles, four triples, 13 home runs, 50 RBI, 22 stolen bases and a 101 OPS+ for the Marlins.
“Excited to have him,” Boone said. “We’re a better team today, a better roster today with him here, and I know he’s really excited to be here too.”
Chisholm was a second baseman and then a center fielder during parts of five seasons in Miami. He’s also played 46 games at shortstop, but none since 2021.
However, Boone said the 26-year-old will probably play third when he’s in the infield, a position he’s never played as a pro. Boone didn’t rule out Chisholm playing the hot corner as soon as Monday in Philadelphia.
“I want him to start working there,” the manager said. “It’s not something he’s played, obviously. Came up as a shortstop. Feel like he has the skillset to do it. I know he’s open to doing it, but I want to see how that looks.”
Chisholm won’t be the only Yankee to work at third base with infield coach Travis Chapman.
Torres will also work at third, a position he played in the minors. Right now, Boone is “reluctant” to use him there, but things could change down the road (if the Yankees don’t trade the impending free agent before the July 30 deadline).
“When we look up in two weeks, three weeks, four weeks, hopefully we’re in a spot where we’re really comfortable with where guys are on the field,” Boone said. “I think Gleyber wants to say at second base, understandably. But I think he’ll be open to doing some work over there.”
With Torres heading to the open market and unlikely to return, Chisholm could be a second base option for the Yankees next year, if not sooner. Chisholm won’t be a free agent until 2027.
“Good,” Torres said Saturday of his reaction to the Chisholm trade. “I think the front office did a really good job. Every good player coming to the team to do a little thing to help the team win, it’s always welcome for us.”
Boone also said that he wants to take advantage of Chisholm’s wheels. He’s on pace to blow past his career-high for stolen bases (23) and ranks in the 87th percentile for sprint speed.
Prior to Chisholm’s debut, the Yankees ranked 29th in the majors with 43 stolen bases.
“We don’t have a 70 [grade] runner,” Boone said, referring to the Yankees not stealing much before the Jazz Age. “I plan on him swiping some bases. With him and [Anthony] Volpe giving us two really good stolen base options now, hopefully that number ticks up.”
Others Impacted
To make room for Chisholm, the Yankees designated J.D. Davis for assignment. It was only a few days ago that Boone insisted on using the seldom-used infielder as a cleanup man.
Meanwhile, DJ LeMahieu found himself out of the lineup for the third straight game on Sunday. The Yankees wanted the 36-year-old veteran to be their everyday third baseman this season — he can also play first and second — but the two-time batting champ has hit just .176/.271/.221 with four extra-base hits since a broken foot delayed the start of his season.
With Oswaldo Cabrera playing third lately and Chisholm adding the position to his utility belt, LeMahieu now seems like the odd man out despite being owed $30 million over two seasons after 2024.
“We’ll see,” Boone said of LeMahieu’s role. “Baseball constantly is changing and throwing you curves and you think this one day. The bottom line is DJ’s been a great player and still very much in the mix at all the infield spots. We’ll see how it shakes out.”
Chisholm’s arrival — and Giancarlo Stanton’s expected Monday return — could also mean less playing time for Trent Grisham. The center fielder wasn’t in Sunday’s lineup either.
2nd and 13
Chisholm already had a connection to Derek Jeter from their time together in Miami, where he wore No. 2. Now his numeral will give him a link to Alex Rodriguez, as he’ll wear No. 13 with the Yankees.
Chisholm is also just the second player from The Bahamas to play for the Yankees. Antoan Richardson is the other.
