Jazz Chisholm Jr., like many left-handed power hitters, couldn’t resist the allure of Yankee Stadium’s short right-field porch. This temptation grew stronger after his impressive start with the Yankees, following his trade from the Marlins. In a remarkable debut, Chisholm smashed four home runs in his first four games, all on the road at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Chisholm, who briefly played center field against the Red Sox at Fenway Park right after being traded for three minor leaguers, quickly made his mark in Philadelphia. He excelled at third base, going 7-for-19 with four homers and eight RBIs in four games, striking out only twice as the Yankees won all four.
However, Chisholm’s momentum stalled upon returning to Yankee Stadium, especially during Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Angels. He struggled, managing just one hit in eight at-bats while striking out six times.
Chisholm feels the impact
When asked if the short right-field seats had influenced his approach at his new home, Chisholm admitted they had. Yet, he also suggested that Wednesday’s struggles might have been a blessing in disguise.
Chisholm noted that the ballpark had affected his mindset during his first few days, but the tough Wednesday games prompted him to relax and focus on simply making contact. He expressed confidence that by not overthinking and just hitting the ball, the results would come naturally. Chisholm remains assured of his ability to hit with power to all fields.
“The first four days, [it did],’’ he admitted. “But then [Wednesday] happened and I was just like, ‘Forget about it. Go out there and hit the ball and it’s gonna do its thing.’ I’ve got pop to go anywhere. I feel like I was getting a little bit big.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s fresh outlook was reinforced by extra batting practice on Thursday, under the guidance of hitting coach James Rowson and assistants Pat Roessler and Casey Dykes. This additional work quickly paid off.
Chisholm admitted that his swing had become overly aggressive, influenced by the inviting short right field at Yankee Stadium, which led him to pull off the ball. However, he credited Thursday’s targeted practice with helping him make necessary adjustments.
“Right field is kind of short, so I was pulling off the ball a little bit,” he said. “So [we] worked all day and the results came out.”
The statistics back up Chisholm’s observations. Since joining the Yankees, his pull rate has jumped to 50 percent, a significant increase from his career average of 34.7 percent.
This shift in Chisholm’s approach hasn’t been all bad. On Thursday, he launched a 418-foot home run to deep right-center, showcasing his power. According to Statcast, the shot would have been a homer in all 30 MLB stadiums.
Impressively, Chisholm’s homer came off Angels lefty Tyler Anderson, marking his second straight long ball against a southpaw—a notable achievement since 14 of his previous 16 homers had come off right-handers.
Defensively, he has excelled at third base. In just 85 innings, he has already saved two defensive runs, according to Fangraphs. This solid performance contrasts with his time in Miami, where he thrived at second base but struggled when shifted to shortstop or center field.
Chisholm expressed confidence in his new defensive role, noting that playing in the infield dirt feels natural to him. He emphasized that this positioning allows him to play his best game, which he genuinely enjoys.
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