The Yankees’ late-season push has taken a significant hit, just as Jazz Chisholm Jr. appeared to be finding his rhythm at the plate.
New York placed Chisholm on the 10-day injured list Thursday after imaging revealed a sprained right thumb. The injury occurred when Chisholm slid into second base during the eighth inning of Tuesday night’s 5-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
Manager Aaron Boone said Chisholm will be shut down from baseball activities for seven to 10 days. With only 18 games remaining on the Yankees’ regular-season schedule, that timetable immediately raises questions about how much Chisholm will be able to contribute before the postseason.
The timing is particularly difficult for New York. The Yankees are trying to catch the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East and entered Wednesday four games behind them in the division race.
Chisholm Was Heating Up at the Worst Possible Time
The interruption is also frustrating for Chisholm. After an uneven offensive season, the infielder had recently started putting together one of his most productive stretches of the year. He reached base safely in 13 of his previous 28 plate appearances, producing a .464 on-base percentage during that span.
“I feel like he has been really putting together some of his best at-bats of the season for an extended stretch,” Boone said. “So it’s definitely a blow, but hopefully one that the time down here gets this thing right and puts him in position to impact us moving forward.”
Chisholm has hit .232/.312/.403 this season with 19 home runs, 55 RBIs and 40 stolen bases. Those numbers fall well short of the ambitious 50-homer, 50-steal goal he discussed during the spring as he approached what could become a contract year.
His absence has opened the door for Anthony Volpe, and the Yankees wasted no time putting him back to work.
Volpe was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and immediately returned to the starting lineup, playing second base and batting ninth against Colorado.
Volpe Returns After Tearing Through Triple-A
His promotion comes after a scorching run in the minors. Volpe was named International League Player of the Week after batting 11-for-21, a .524 average, from Sept. 1-6. He collected three doubles, three home runs, six RBIs and eight runs while stealing five bases.
The turnaround was dramatic enough that Yankees outfielder Jasson Domínguez joked that Volpe “became Barry Bonds all of a sudden” while playing for the RailRiders.
Boone has also been encouraged by what he has seen.
“I feel like he’s in a really good spot,” Boone said. “He’s been really productive down there and playing really well. He has taken well to the other positions. So we’ll see.”
Volpe’s first stint with the Yankees this season was far less productive. After returning from offseason surgery on his left shoulder, he hit .240/.325/.322 across 56 major league games, with one home run and 19 RBIs.
His time in Triple-A, however, was not solely about fixing his swing. The Yankees also expanded his defensive responsibilities.
Volpe made 19 starts at second base, three at third and 15 at his traditional shortstop position. He committed only one error across 162 1/3 innings at second, producing a .987 fielding percentage.
“I have a ton of respect for the person and the player,” Boone said. “He’s been a complete pro and completely gotten after it down there in everything they’ve thrown at him.”
Yankees Have Options as the Division Race Tightens
Volpe will not necessarily receive every opportunity at second while Chisholm is sidelined. José Caballero replaced Chisholm in the ninth inning Tuesday and started at second the following night.
Caballero has cooled considerably since an impressive April, but he has still produced career highs in several categories. Through 123 games, he is batting .235/.292/.372 with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs.
Luis García Jr., meanwhile, does not appear likely to become a major part of the second-base equation despite playing 129 games at the position for Washington last season.
“It’s one of the things we’ll talk about, but I mostly consider him at first [base] right now,” Boone said.
That leaves Volpe with an unexpected late-season opportunity. Chisholm’s injury removes a dangerous combination of power and speed from the Yankees’ lineup at a difficult point in the schedule. Still, it also gives Volpe a chance to translate his dominant Triple-A stretch into major league production.
For Chisholm, the immediate objective is simpler: allow the thumb to heal and see whether there is enough time left for him to return before the regular season runs out.
