Jazz Chisholm Jr. shoulder injury adds worrisome wrinkle to Yankees' Home Run Derby

The New York Yankees will be represented in Monday night's Home Run Derby by a surprising face in Jazz Chisholm Jr., who advertised himself as an excited option earlier in the week and saw his enthusiasm win out in the end.

The Yankees haven't had a Home Run Derby participant since 2017, when both Aaron Judge (victor) and Gary Sánchez (pretty damned good) joined the show in Miami. Unfortunately, Judge's win came at a high cost; he hit .185 in August, then later admitted he aggravated his shoulder by swinging for the fences, undergoing arthroscopic surgery after the season. He hasn't gone back to the Derby since, resting on his victorious laurels.

Which leads us to Chisholm Jr., whose recent power surge has been remarkable, and who looks a whole lot more comfortable at second base. He's smooth at everything he does, and his pop has leveled up with the Yankees; he's drilled 28 homers in 108 games since arriving at the trade deadline last year.

Not to be the fly in the ointment, though ... but Chisholm Jr. has also complained about a recent shoulder issue, sitting out a game against the Mets last weekend with soreness that had been bothering him for "about three weeks". Purportedly, it doesn't feel stiff when he's swinging, but only when he's attempting to make the throw from third base.

If you're feeling optimistic ... maybe it was all a ploy to justify his permanent shift to second last week? If you're feeling pessimistic ... all your worries about the Derby screwing up a hot player's swing seem even more justified knowing he's already nursing soreness, and will now be under the duress of a ticking clock, trying to beat the buzzer by cramming as many dingers as possible into a short period of time.

Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. to join Home Run Derby field despite nursing sore shoulder that moved him off third base

Ever the showman, it's no surprise whatsoever that Chisholm Jr. leapt at the opportunity to snag a final spotlight in Atlanta.

But you would be forgiven if you both rooted against him on Monday night and hoped to see Junior Caminero of the Rays go as deep as possible, expending energy as he goes.