The New York Yankees rolled past the Kansas City Royals in a 10–2 blowout Tuesday night, but not without a scare.
Infielder Jazz Chisholm left the game early with neck stiffness, casting a shadow over an otherwise dominant team performance.
Chisholm had already contributed a hit, a run scored, and his usual energy before being pulled late in the contest.
After missing several weeks with three separate oblique tears, seeing Chisholm exit again was a punch to the gut.
Fortunately, both Jazz and manager Aaron Boone believe he will be in the lineup on Wednesday.
A vital part of the Yankees’ spark plug offense
Since returning from injury, Jazz Chisholm has become one of the Yankees’ more impactful and electric position players.
He’s batting .215 with a .316 OBP and .454 slugging percentage, generating a solid .770 OPS over the course of the season.
Chisholm’s power hasn’t faded — he’s mashed nine homers and ranks in the 87th percentile in barrel rate this year.
Even more impressively, he ranks in the 89th percentile for outs above average, proving his glove is just as valuable.
Adjusting his swing, adjusting his results
One of the more underrated storylines in Chisholm’s resurgence is a shift in his approach at the plate recently.
Rather than trying to muscle everything, he’s scaled his swing to about 70% effort, allowing more frequent contact.
That subtle tweak has paid dividends — more balls in play, fewer empty swings, and sustained power to his pull side.
Chisholm isn’t trying to launch every pitch into the seats — just hard enough to hurt you, soft enough to survive.
A neck tweak and a sigh of relief
Injuries have haunted Chisholm’s career, so when he left the game with neck tightness, anxiety naturally followed.
Thankfully, early signs suggest this may be minor — more caution than crisis — a decision to prevent a setback.
The Yankees inserted Oswald Peraza in his place, and while serviceable, he doesn’t replicate Chisholm’s dynamic energy.
That’s why getting Jazz back quickly is crucial — he brings flash, power, and athleticism few players in MLB can match.
If healthy, the ceiling is still sky-high
Chisholm’s numbers don’t fully capture the chaos he causes when locked in — both at the plate and in the field.
He’s that unpredictable firecracker, the type of player who changes games with a swing, a steal, or a diving stop.
Hopefully, the Yankees caught this issue early, and Jazz will be ready to go.
The offense needs his spark, especially as the team looks to build momentum heading into the summer stretch.
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