Jazz Chisholm just proved (again) he can be playoff agitator Yankees need vs. Astros

That sound you hear is 1,000 Houston Uncles kicking over 1,000 spittoons after watching Jazz Chisholm Jr. bat flip into the stratosphere while the Yankees embarrassed the Astros in H-Town for the eighth consecutive time. Never mind that Carlos Correa pauses to check his watch after every clutch home run, of course. No, no. It's the Yankees who are a disgrace to the game.

Tuesday night's 7-1 Yankees victory in the first game of their massive 12-game stretch against contenders represented their eighth straight win in Houston, which has been a house of horrors so often for them in October. It certainly seems to be getting easier to win there these days. Man, did something happen? Something that could've possibly neutered a huge homefield advantage for the Astros? Worth pondering, as confused Astros fans continue to sound like passengers on the Titanic wondering why it got so cold after that huge crashing sound.

It was the eighth consecutive Yankees win at Daikin Park, but it was Chisholm's first in the uniform; the last time the Yankees visited the icebox, it was Juan Soto's heroics (and Jon Berti's defense!) that led the way to open the 2024 season.

Chisholm may not be quite as imposing a force as Soto all the time, but he certainly took the mantle of the Yankees' resident agitator, whose talent can't be denied in big moments. His first home run broke the ice on Tuesday. His second, after a Max Fried popped-up bunt double play quelled Houston's final rally in the seventh, felt like the "Come Get Me. I Got This." moment the Yankees have so often lacked in recent years, with the bat drop to match.

Yankees' Jazz Chisholm felt like the powerhouse gnat they've been missing vs. Astros

Chisholm's energy was perhaps too elevated during last season's playoff run, and he struggled to channel it in the proper direction, instead getting discouraged with every strikeout. Maybe this year's "70% Chisholm" is calmer and better tailored to cause distress on the biggest stage. He certainly breathed deeply and delivered in extra innings on the road in Chicago last week, and he let Fried relax and deal with an early blow on Tuesday before providing the exclamation point later as well.

It's not so fun when everyone else across MLB hates you when you're drowning on the national stage in the Home Run Derby. It's much more fun to absorb the boos when you're dominating in a dreaded road environment and clearing out the expensive seats in totality in the top of the eighth (where you going, guys?!).

Now more than a calendar year into his Yankees career, Chisholm has posted a ridiculous 38 homers and 43 steals in 152 games played, and is on pace for a 30-30 season in 2025 if the chips fall correctly this month. He's been undeniably powerful (and, yes, undeniably better at second base).

All the Yankees need from this point forward is for some of his tone-setting mastery, which has manifested itself on the two biggest nights of the season to date (Sunday Night Baseball against Boston, Game 1 of 12 last night), to carry into Turtleneck Season.