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Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees plays the ball against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on July 1, 2025 in Toronto.
Jazz Chisholm Jr is doing what he can for the New York Yankees right now. But he also is fully aware he is playing out of position, and it is not ideal.
After Chisholm made another defensive miscue at third base Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays, he spoke about his struggles at the hot corner by saying “everyone knows I’m a second baseman.”
Chisholm has been excellent at the plate, sitting second on the Yankees in OPS (.833) and OPS+ (131) behind AL MVP favorite Aaron Judge. Still, at third base he has a .949 fielding percentage, a minus-4 Outs Above Average and ranks tied for 36th in success rate on fielding plays (64 percent).
Why Isn’t Jazz Chisholm Playing Second Base?
Chisholm started the year as New York’s starting second baseman but shifted to third base after coming off the IL last month. D.J. LeMahieu has been New York’s primary second baseman, and although LeMahieu has played third in the past, Chisholm’s arm strength makes him a superior option there.
But it’s clear the Chisholm-at-third-base experiment isn’t working as seamlessly as it did last year. New York acquired him from the Miami Marlins and stuck him there since Gleyber Torres was entrenched at second base, but Chisholm told reporters the Yankees had told him he would be their second baseman this year.
“I’m playing every day, so it’s hard to be upset,” Chisholm told The Athletic after New York’s 12-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday. “Yes, I know I’m a second baseman. Yes, I know I’m better at second base, but at the end of the day, I still have to play third. I just have to deal with it.”
Chisholm has expressed his willingness to play wherever the team wanted him to, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone gave him the option to play second or third while rehabbing from the oblique injury. Chisholm has handled things better than his former-AL East counterpart Rafael Devers, who caused a stir when he told the Boston Red Sox he would not change positions.
“Everybody knows I’m a second baseman,” Chisholm said. “Of course, I want to play second base, but whatever it takes to help the team win. If that’s what the team chooses, that’s what I gotta do. I don’t write the lineups.”
Chisholm’s latest mishap came with New York leading 2-1 in the fourth inning in Toronto, when Davis Schneider hit a slow tapper to third base. Chisholm’s throw to first base was wide, allowing Schneider to reach, and the Blue Jays scored three runs in the frame.
Despite loud cries that Chisholm should have made the play, Boone blamed his miscue on his lack of experience on artificial turf.
“I think it’s a little bit of just not always playing on turf,” Boone told reporters after the game. “It kind of messed with his rhythm of the throw, so the throw was inaccurate. It’s probably because the hop kind of took him up a little bit, so it wasn’t as smooth. I chalk that up to more just not getting the right hop and probably a little bit of the turf thing.”
Who Will Play Third Base For the Yankees If Chisholm Goes Back to Second Base?
The Yankees have been linked to several options via a trade, notably third baseman — and pending free agent — Eugenio Suarez of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Suarez would fit right in with New York’s power-laden lineup since he is tied for fourth in the majors in home runs (26) and 14th in OPS (.888). Those numbers far exceed LeMahieu’s — even Suarez’s .254 batting average is better than LeMahieu’s (.250).
So even though there are four weeks left until the trade deadline, New York should be shopping around for upgrades, especially with Chisholm becoming frustrated.
Pat Pickens is an experienced sports writer and media personality who has written for outlets like NHL.com, the Associated Press, the New York Times and USA Today. He covers the NFL, NBA, NHL and NBA as a breaking news contributor at Heavy. More about Pat Pickens
