Jazz Chisholm Jr. is officially back where he belongs at second base for the New York Yankees. This isn’t just a defensive switch; it’s a declaration. After weeks of battling shoulder soreness and trying to hold down third base out of necessity, Chisholm is being unleashed in the middle of the diamond.
Even with a cranky shoulder affecting his throwing more than his swing, Jazz has been scorching at the plate. Since returning from the IL, he’s delivered a sizzling .308/.380/.589 slash line with eight home runs in just 29 games. That’s game-changing.
When asked to describe himself at second base? Chisholm didn’t hold back: “Elite defender, elite slugging, fast, great defense. I don’t know what else to tell you. Sounds like a complete player to me.” Hard to argue with that.
LeMahieu Lands on New York’s Bench
Meanwhile, DJ LeMahieu — once the Yankees’ ultimate Swiss Army knife — is stepping aside. The 36-year-old veteran, who is still pulling in $15 million a year through 2026, has seen a clear decline in production and mobility. He owns a .674 OPS over 142 plate appearances, and his limited range at third was glaringly obvious in the recent Subway Series against the Mets.
Boone didn’t sugarcoat it. “Physically a challenge” is how he described LeMahieu at third. There are “no plans” to put him back there anytime soon. The new role? A bat off the bench. And yes, LeMahieu wasn’t exactly thrilled. “Not great, necessarily,” Boone admitted about his reaction. But this is big-league baseball. Sentiment doesn’t win in October.
Yankees Eye the Hot Corner Market
With Jazz back in the middle infield and LeMahieu out of the everyday mix, the Yankees now have a clear and pressing need: third base. Oswald Peraza may hold his own defensively, but his bat hasn’t translated at the big-league level. So what does that mean? Trade Deadline buzz.
New York has reportedly shown interest in Colorado’s Ryan McMahon — a solid glove with pop. But that’s not all. They’re also circling names like Eugenio Suárez, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Nolan Arenado, and even former Yankee Isiah Kiner-Falefa. It’s a wide-ranging search, and with expectations sky-high, the front office knows it can’t afford to miss.
Chisholm is anchoring the infield again, LeMahieu is on the bench, and third base is the next frontier. In the Bronx, the beat goes on — and right now, it’s Jazz setting the tempo.
