NEW YORK — Jazz Chisholm Jr. gave the New York Yankees both power and inspiration Sunday night while coping with a devastating personal loss. The second baseman launched two home runs in a 7-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, hitting a milestone while mourning the death of his best friend.
The emotional evening started in the second frame when Chisholm connected on a massive two-run blast against Red Sox pitcher Dustin May. The home run represented number 100 of his big league journey, yet as he rounded the base paths, his thoughts drifted far from baseball.
“It felt kind of surreal,” Chisholm said after the game. “I lost my best friend yesterday. Today felt like a different type of day, especially with the 100th home run coming today and everything.”
Network cameras documented the genuine emotion when Chisholm reached the Yankees bench, receiving consoling embraces from teammates like Aaron Judge. The 27-year-old appeared deeply affected, with visible tears as he dealt with the conflicting feelings of professional success during personal heartbreak.
Chisholm channels grief into power
The historic home run marked only the start of Jazz Chisholm’s extraordinary evening. He chose not to elaborate on the circumstances surrounding his friend’s death, requesting privacy during this challenging period.
“I’m going through a lot in the last 30 hours,” he said quietly in the locker room following the win.
Instead of allowing sorrow to derail his focus, Chisholm transformed his pain into production. During the eighth frame, he approached the batter’s box facing reliever Walker Buehler and connected once more, driving another two-run shot beyond the right field barrier with a sharp line drive.
The additional long ball delivered important insurance scoring and completed Chisholm’s third multiple-homer performance of the 2025 campaign. The showing matched his personal best with 24 round-trippers this year, an impressive total given his midseason acquisition from the Miami Marlins.
Historic night amid personal loss
Chisholm’s 100th major league home run marked a meaningful achievement for any professional player, but the situation surrounding it created extraordinary significance. The image of him seeking comfort against Judge’s shoulder in the dugout emerged as the evening’s most touching scene, demonstrating how athletics can provide both sanctuary and memorial during life’s hardest challenges.
“It makes it feel even better that we won the game, especially against the team that’s really been beating us a lot this year,” Chisholm said. “That should take us into a good momentum right now.”
The infielder’s offensive explosion became especially remarkable considering the emotional burden he carried. His two long balls drove in four of New York’s seven runs, playing a direct role in snapping the Yankees’ eight-game skid versus their longtime adversaries.
Two-homer night caps emotional performance
Chisholm’s opening blast soared deep into right field territory, a spectacular drive that brought the Yankee Stadium faithful to their feet before they comprehended the personal meaning behind the moment. The baseball easily cleared the wall, providing an appropriate method to reach the 100-homer plateau.
His follow-up shot displayed equal power despite different execution. The liner barely escaped over the short right field wall but packed sufficient force to give New York additional comfort during a previously tense series with Red Sox.
Throughout both home runs, Chisholm maintained excellent defense at his second base position and demonstrated the concentration that reflects his competitive nature. While processing personal grief, he refused to allow his emotions to compromise his defensive work or baserunning duties.
Yankees boost beyond Jazz show
The Yankees got plenty of help around him. Trent Grisham delivered two solo homers, measuring 406 and 413 feet, raising his season total to 25 and notching his fourth multi-homer game of 2025.
Carlos Rodon improved to a team-leading 14-4 after allowing one hit over 5⅔ innings, though he walked five batters. His night nearly unraveled in the sixth, when three walks loaded the bases before reliever Luke Weaver allowed Nathaniel Lowe’s pinch-hit single that scored two.
Aaron Boone made a key change at shortstop, sitting Anthony Volpe after his 17th error of the year and a 1-for-28 slump. Jose Caballero filled in with steady defense and a sacrifice fly.
Giancarlo Stanton added two hits, including a 117.8 mph double, while playing right field. The bullpen was flawless, as Weaver, Devin Williams, and Camilo Doval combined for 3⅓ scoreless innings with seven strikeouts to lock down the win.
“When everything’s going well, that’s how we are,” Chisholm said. “We hit homers, we score a lot of runs and we walk a lot. I feel like that was our game tonight. We had a lot of walks, hit a couple home runs and played great defense. That’s what we’re really known for.”
For Chisholm, the night was bigger than baseball. His 100th home run will forever be tied to a personal tragedy, but it became a reminder of how athletes find strength in heartbreak. His performance carried both the Yankees and his memory of a friend.
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