In recent years, many World Series winners have received significant contributions from players acquired at the trade deadline. This year is no exception, with players like Jack Flaherty, Paul DeJong, and Jorge Soler making substantial impacts for their new teams. However, the most significant impact from a trade deadline acquisition this year has come from outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is Resurrecting a Dead Offense
It’s no secret that the Yankees’ offense has been very mediocre outside of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. Before the Yanks traded for Chisholm on July 27, their third-best hitter was Giancarlo Stanton, who had an OPS of .794 with 18 homers before going on the injured list.
Enter Chisholm, who has provided a much-needed spark to New York’s offense. In 26 games as a Yankee, the 26-year-old is hitting .333 with nine home runs with an OPS of 1.008. That’s second on the Yankees behind Judge in that time frame. In addition to his newfound power, he’s also been a major threat on the base paths, something that the Yankees heavily lacked outside of Anthony Volpe.
JAZZ CHISHOLM JR. IS HERE pic.twitter.com/LKCqzMotT4
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 31, 2024
Not only has Chisholm contributed at the plate, but he has also filled the previously gaping hole at third base. Though he has made some spectacular plays that showcase his insane athleticism, there have also been some questionable mishaps. But as Aaron Boone put it, it’s all part of learning a new position:
“Still learning. On balance, it’s been really good to elite [defense]. But there’s things over there that these reps will be really valuable for him. These plays will be really good learning things for him moving forward. … It’s part of the growing pains of it a little bit.”
Jazz Chisholm is the man.
Yankees were down a million in the 8th. He still lays out and makes an electric defensive play. That throw and scoop were on the money, too.
The report on his character was off. Jazz is a joy to watch even in games like this.
pic.twitter.com/eZEtjHcsMT— Joe Randazzo ??? (@LibrarianJoe_) August 24, 2024
The Domino Effect
After a forgettable month of July, the acquisition of Chisholm at the end of the month lit a fire under the Yankees. Before going to the 10-day IL on August 13, the Yankees went 9-4 with their new third baseman. Though they have come back down to earth, the offense is still miles ahead of where it was even a month ago. Austin Wells, Gleyber Torres and even Alex Verdugo have all picked up some slack after mediocre first-half performances.
Another facet of Chisholm’s presence is that he doesn’t just contribute with his bat: his presence alone makes the Yankees lineup much more daunting to opponents. With sparse support behind Soto and Judge, having Chisholm as a solid presence in the middle of the lineup makes it a lot more difficult for opposing pitchers to gameplan.
One of the most important parts of a player’s game is their persona. The Yankees didn’t have much swagger before they acquired Chisholm, other than the struggling Verdugo perhaps. However, the easy-going, energetic Bahamas native has brought an ambience to the team that has completely revitalized them.
Going into October
It’s safe to say that the Yankees might’ve been lost had it not been for Chisholm. He has impacted the team in more ways than one, whether it be on the field, in the batter’s box, or the clubhouse. With the AL East race tightening up as September goes on, Chisholm’s presence has helped solidify the Yankees as one of baseball’s top contenders heading into the postseason. The good thing too is that Chisholm is under team control through 2026, he is likely to be part of the lineup beyond 2024.
Main Photo: © Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
