Jazz Chisholm is enjoying himself with the New York Yankees. Though he started as a third baseman and batted sixth in the lineup on Monday, the Yankees recruit hit two home runs in a 14-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
Chisholm hit his first home run for the Yankees in the second inning, a run off Zack Wheeler that gave New York a 2-0 lead, and he followed that up with another in the ninth off Philadelphia backup catcher Garrett Stubbs, who was resting his relievers with the team trailing by eight runs.
Stubbs tried to throw Chisholm off his timing with a 65 mph Ephus pitch. The fifth-year veteran wasn’t fooled, smashing a slow, high arcing pitch far into the right-field stands. Outfielder Nick Castellanos didn’t even move as he watched the fly ball go over him.
Chisholm used a special bat for home runs.
After the home run, Chisholm told the television cameras that he used the bat belonging to captain and three-time home run champion Aaron Judge.
He was all smiles as he spoke to reporters in the locker room after the game about the home run, and also revealed that Judge had congratulated him beforehand.
“I’m definitely not using that bat tomorrow,” Chisholm said. “It was too heavy. I was like, ‘I’ve never hit a fielder before tonight.'”
“I said, ‘Hey, Cap, I can either go right-handed or I can use your bat.’ He said, ‘Sure, use my bat.’ And it worked out that way.”
The 26-year-old Chisholm was acquired Saturday from the Miami Marlins in exchange for three minor league prospects. He is expected to end up playing center field, allowing the Yankees to move Judge to a less demanding corner outfield position.
Judge also hit two home runs for the Yankees on Monday, but such explosive performances are to be expected from a player who leads MLB in homers this season with 39, seven more than Shohei Ohtani.
But with Gleyber Torres unwilling to move from second base to third base, Chisholm will now play third base for the time being. The Yankees are hoping for better performance and defense at the position than Oswaldo Cabrera (.246 batting average, .646 OPS) has shown so far. Before Monday, Chisholm had never played third base in his major league career.
Chisholm went 2-for-4 to improve his batting average to .251 with a .745 OPS, 13 home runs, 50 RBIs and 23 stolen bases. In a Yankees uniform, he will bat .333 with a 1.400 OPS.
