There’s something uniquely deflating about watching a powerhouse crumble in slow motion, not from a lack of talent, but precision.
For the 2025 New York Yankees, the power is undeniable. Aaron Judge is breaking scoreboards. Juan Soto’s replacements have been magnificent. The young players are surging. But beneath that flash, there’s a quiet ticking.
Since Jazz Chisholm Jr. went down with an oblique tear in April, two infield positions have turned into offensive sinkholes. It was manageable when only third base struggled. Now, second base has joined the collapse.
Chisholm’s pending return promises stability at the hot corner. But the keystone? That’s still a full-blown crisis.
Second base has become the Yankees’ Achilles’ heel
The cast of fill-ins at second base—DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, Jorbit Vivas, and Pablo Reyes—reads like a rotation of auditions no one passed.
It’s not just a perception problem. The stats confirm it: Yankee second and third basemen combined have a .185 batting average this season. Dead last in MLB.
Only the Rockies are keeping them company in this statistical basement. Their on-base percentage is .282, slugging .316, OPS a dismal .599.
Worse, their 25.9% strikeout rate ranks 29th in the league. These aren’t growing pains—they’re fatal flaws.
The Yankees are winning games because the rest of their lineup is scorching hot. But in October, when every at-bat gets magnified, those black holes will burn them.
Why Chisholm’s return matters—but doesn’t fix everything
Jazz Chisholm Jr. isn’t just another player coming off the IL. He’s a shot of adrenaline. A firestarter.
At third base, his athleticism, pop, and swagger could stabilize what’s been a leaking ship all year. It’s a position that’s been starving for consistency.
Yet even as Chisholm reclaims third, second base will remain exposed. In the playoffs, weak links don’t just exist—they get hunted.
Every elite team will exploit the Yankees’ lack of depth and production in the middle infield unless they move aggressively before the trade deadline.
Playoff baseball is about exploiting every soft spot
Imagine going into a heavyweight fight with your guard down. That’s what October will look like if the Yankees do nothing.
They don’t just need Chisholm’s return. They need a reliable second baseman who can give them league-average production at the very least.
Add in a depth starter to brace for pitching attrition and a high-leverage lefty to balance the bullpen, and the picture gets much clearer.
This team has the bones of a champion. But championships are built on details—tiny cracks can split the whole foundation.
A competent infielder who can plug the second-base hole would instantly elevate this team from contender to juggernaut.
When you combine that with even one more playoff-tested arm and a shutdown reliever, there’s no ceiling.
Think of it like a luxury car with a busted transmission. It doesn’t matter how shiny it looks; if you can’t shift gears, you’re stuck.
The Yankees are nearly unstoppable in many ways. But come October, second base could be the gear that grinds the whole machine to a halt.
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