![\"Yankees](\"https:\/\/empiresportsmedia.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1220,height=813,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/MLB-ALDS-New-York-Yankees-at-Kansas-City-Royals-24448599.jpg\")
Jazz Chisholm Jr. rests sore groin, but stays ready<\/h2>\n
While Judge\u2019s break is pre-planned, Jazz Chisholm Jr.\u2019s absence is cautionary. The sparkplug infielder left Wednesday\u2019s game with groin tightness.<\/p>\n
Chisholm, electric in energy and charisma, chose the smart route\u2014pulling up before pushing too far. Groin injuries can be sneaky, the kind that turn minor tightness into weeks on the sideline if mismanaged.<\/p>\n
Luckily for the Yankees, Chisholm believes he dodged something more serious.<\/p>\n Jazz Chisholm Jr. said he feels like he avoided something bigger by coming out of the game early last night with groin tightness and not pushing it. Thinks he could be available off the bench tonight.<\/p>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/GJoyce9\/status\/1933269075242709274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1933269075242709274%7Ctwgr%5Eb7ee90524ecdc6f14d621498d68070753613f2f5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fempiresportsmedia.com%2Fnew-york-yankees%2Fyankees-captain-gets-first-day-off-of-the-season-dynamic-infielder-not-in-the-lineup-for-finale%2F<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n He isn\u2019t in Thursday\u2019s starting lineup, but he\u2019s not out of the picture. The expectation is that he\u2019ll be ready off the bench if needed, providing reassurance that this isn\u2019t the beginning of a longer issue.<\/p>\n With both Judge and Chisholm out, along with catcher Austin Wells getting a breather, Thursday\u2019s lineup looks like a spring training sketch.<\/p>\n Trent Grisham will lead off, flanked by Ben Rice at DH and Paul Goldschmidt at first. Cody Bellinger takes cleanup duties, with Jasson Dom\u00ednguez\u2014the hyped \u201cMartian\u201d\u2014hitting fifth.<\/p>\n Anthony Volpe, J.C. Escarra, Pablo Reyes, and Oswald Peraza round out the order.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a mix of experience, youth, and opportunity\u2014a reminder that championship teams are defined not only by stars, but by how their bench answers the call.<\/p>\n It\u2019s like a Broadway understudy performance. The lead actors are out, but the stage remains. Now it\u2019s up to the supporting cast to show their worth under the spotlight.<\/p>\n The Yankees didn\u2019t bring half a team to Kauffman Stadium\u2014they brought a deep roster with something to prove. After taking the first two games against Kansas City, they\u2019re one win away from a clean sweep.<\/p>\n Even with rest days built in, the message is clear: expectations don\u2019t change. This team isn\u2019t reliant on just one bat or glove.<\/p>\n Aaron Boone\u2019s players understand the assignment. Dom\u00ednguez\u2019s placement in the five-hole says a lot about his rise and the trust he\u2019s earned. Volpe\u2019s quiet steadiness continues to stabilize the middle of the order.<\/p>\n And let\u2019s not overlook Goldschmidt and Bellinger, two veterans capable of anchoring an offense with Judge sitting in the dugout. These aren\u2019t placeholders\u2014they\u2019re difference-makers.<\/p>\n For the Royals, Thursday offers one last shot to salvage pride in this series. The Yankees have outclassed them over two games, and with a reshuffled New York lineup, this might be their opening.<\/p>\n But Kansas City knows the danger of assuming too much. The Yankees aren\u2019t surrendering anything\u2014they\u2019re just showing different faces of the same ambition.<\/p>\n If the Royals hope to avoid a sweep, they\u2019ll need more than a lineup advantage. They\u2019ll need execution, something the Yankees have delivered in abundance regardless of who\u2019s in the batting order.<\/p>\n With or without their headline stars, the Yankees play with a purpose. That\u2019s the sign of a contender built to last.<\/p>\n Yankees bring up sidearm righty to replace Brent Headrick on the roster<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Aaron Judge gets his first day off of the season as the Yankees eye a sweep over the Royals. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells are also out of the lineup<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":69600,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69597","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
![\"Yankees](\"https:\/\/empiresportsmedia.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1250,height=811,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MLB-New-York-Yankees-at-Kansas-City-Royals-jazz-chisholm-26420463.jpg\")
A true test of depth for the surging Bombers<\/h2>\n
New York\u2019s mindset: no letup, even with key names out<\/h2>\n
Kansas City eyes redemption, but faces tall task<\/h2>\n
Popular reading<\/h2>\n