Jazz Chisholm came over to the Yankees and helped them by moving to third base when Gleyber Torres refused to, and while they really hoped to have the left-handed infielder at second, you can understand why that didn’t happen.
That was part of why the team eventually chose to part ways with Gleyber Torres in the offseason, aiming to fortify its infield defense by moving the more athletic Chisholm to his natural position.
Unlike last summer, the Yankees would have the entire offseason to acquire a third baseman and bolster their defense or offense, and while the options weren’t perfect, there was enough to at least land someone who can platoon with Oswaldo Cabrera.
The team chose to do absolutely nothing; a decision that is now haunting them with both Oswaldo Cabrera on the injured list and DJ LeMahieu informing the team that he is more comfortable at second base.
At the center of it all is Jazz Chisholm, a player who has performed like a star this season, but is having his preferences and one of his best skills completely suppressed and overlooked due to the Yankees’ lack of preparedness.
How the Yankees Have Completely Botched the Jazz Chisholm Situation
Everyone knows the story with the Red Sox and Rafael Devers at this point; the team informed their star slugger over the offseason that his role at third base wouldn’t be threatened despite rumors of Alex Bregman being a target.
They subsequently acquired Bregman with the intention of playing him at second base, but the team would change its mind in March and inform Devers that he was no longer the third baseman and would be a full-time DH.
Devers would take the issue public, ripping the front office and stating that he’s a third basemen, and when approached about playing first base when Triston Casas went down, he felt even more enraged.
It culminated in a stunning trade to San Francisco, and while New York isn’t preparing to deal Jazz Chisholm, the Yankees are simply lucky that Jazz Chisholm has chosen to handle this with more grace than Rafael Devers.
The front office informed Jazz Chisholm he would be the second baseman and he spent the entire offseason working at second base as a result.
If New York wanted him to remain flexible enough to move back to third, getting him reps there during Spring Training or the offseason would at least keep things transparent with Chisholm on the fluidity of the situation.
With an offseason to acquire a third baseman, Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner opted not to continue spending and acquire someone to either play full-time or platoon with Oswaldo Cabrera.
Fast-forward to DJ LeMahieu’s return, and he would inform the Yankees that he heavily preferred to play second base, putting the team in an awkward position as there were real concerns about his ability to play third base.
It would push Jazz Chisholm to play third base for the first time in months on his rehab assignment, a position he already had some growing pains at in 2024 despite flashing an ability to hone the position.
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The problem isn’t Jazz Chisholm playing third base, but rather the fact that the Yankees were so confident in February he would remain at second that he didn’t log a single inning of work at third in Spring Training.
Brian Cashman completely messed up that situation. This is the kind of thing the Red Sox got crushed for by the papers when it happened with Devers, and Jazz Chisholm is bailing New York out from the same issue.
At least Boston could lean on the faith that a locked-up Devers would understand the team’s desire to acquire Alex Bregman, why would Jazz Chisholm, a free agent after 2026, be happy about being lied to for…DJ LeMahieu.
This sets a culture of losing. You do not get benefits based on play, but rather based on how much the organization and clubhouse like you.
When Aaron Hicks had a 47 wRC+ in 2023 he got cut. When DJ LeMahieu had a similarly catastrophic 2024 season, he was left on the roster despite the front office looking to cut him due to the clubhouse’s desire to keep him around.
The Yankees owe it to Jazz Chisholm to be forthcoming and honest, the fact that they lied to fans is something that I couldn’t care less about if I tried (although I understand the fanbase not feeling the same).
You cannot lie to someone as good, impactful, and integral to your success as the slugging infielder, and when you look to try and either extend him this winter or retain him in the next one, he may remember this debacle.
The team is throwing out an infield defense with a limited defender at second and a woefully underprepared defender at third base, not to fit a star bat into the lineup, but rather to accommodate a 36-year-old who is a bad everyday regular.
Whether you believe the team should cut ties and play Peraza/Vivas at third base or not, we can all admit that the Yankees have messed this up.
It started when they didn’t acquire at least a bench piece who could play third base (Pablo Reyes does not count), and now the team that vowed to be better defensively has a bad defensive infield and is choking away the AL East.
Reap what you sow.