Jazz Chisholm will hate Yankees' Game 1 lineup decisions vs. Payton Tolle, Red Sox

Anthony Volpe making the Yankees' lineup for their opening playoff game against the Boston Red Sox would've been a million-to-one shot back in August. Volpe making the lineup and it probably being the right call? Even more shocking.

The Yankees unveiled their Game 1 lineup against Payton Tolle about 4.5 hours before first pitch, and about 24 hours after All-Star Jazz Chisholm Jr. made his feelings clear on how he'd feel about sitting on the bench for their playoff opener, just as he did last season against Garrett Crochet.

"'Yeah,' [Chisholm told The Athletic], adding that he would be ticked off if he doesn’t [get the nod].

'Who wouldn’t be?' he said. 'As a competitor, who wouldn’t be? It’s the playoffs. You want to play.'"

Instead of being rewarded and treated as a cemented starter, rather than a platoon player, after grinding during the season's final weeks to return from the IL, Chisholm will begin on the bench alongside Ryan McMahon and trade deadline addition Luis Garcia Jr., whose splits against left-handers likely automatically doomed him.

There was probably more nuance to the Chisholm choice, and in a world where defense reigns in tight moments, Volpe at third AND Chisholm up the middle probably would've been worth exploring. Instead, the Yankees went with Amed Rosario (probably the last man on the roster?) as their starting third baseman and No. 6 hitter.

Yankees' playoff lineup will look radically different for Game 2 vs. Sonny Gray

Fans will complain just as much as Chisholm. And those who prize consistency might have a point. The Yankees avoided one "if you're wrong, you get fired" decision by starting Cam Schlittler over Max Fried in the opener. They opened the door to a second by relying on Rosario, whose error opened the floodgates in Cam Schlittler's June start at Fenway Park.

Not for nothing, but Rosario was brought back to mash lefties, which has not been the case this season as it was in 2025, when he broke a scoreless tie in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series against Connelly Early. In 84 plate appearances against right-handers this year, Rosario hit .295 with five homers. Against lefties? 160 plate appearances, .208 average, and five more homers. His OPS dips from .833 to .606 against his supposed strength.

Expect Garcia, Chisholm, and potentially McMahon behind Fried on Wednesday. If the Yankees don't thrive without him, Chisholm's postgame performance could mirror the way he acted after Crochet Day last October.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow