Despite the controversy of that close play at second base in which he was ruled safe, New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been an asset on the basepaths. When general manager Brian Cashman traded several valuable prospects (including catcher Agustín Ramirez) for Chisholm, he was targeting an offensive upgrade in the infield with some speed, athleticism, and power.
It looks like he hit the jackpot and achieved most of those goals with the former Marlin. Not only has he had a .825 OPS with the Bombers, but he took the time and put in the work to learn a different position (third base) and has contributed a lot on the bases.
Chisholm’s baserunning can make the difference for the Yankees
Chisholm stole that base on Saturday and then went on to score the winning run on a sharply hit single by Alex Verdugo, something that not every major league could have done. He has confidence, too, as he said that “no one could throw him out”.
On a night in which Yankees fans complained that Giancarlo Stanton’s baserunning lost the team two runs, Chisholm made sure to show the world how speed can change a game. The guy can flat-out move his legs. He totaled an impressive 40 stolen bases in MLB, 18 of them with the Yankees, and was only caught stealing with New York’s uniform.
Chisholm might strike out a lot, but he can impact a game in so many ways and one of them is definitely with his legs. The Yankees have a true 40-steal guy on their everyday lineup, and they should be aggressive using him. Chisholm has made the batting order better, more athletic, and more versatile. That’s the extent of his impact on the franchise: he has been an invaluable spark that also happens to run like the wind.
