Yankees' solved Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe problem perfectly in Red Sox sweep 

For one reason or another, vocal opponents of Jazz Chisholm Jr. always try to paint him as a locker room disruption or a total diva incapable of “playing the game right way.” But after the New York Yankees dominated the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card Series, it is clear that he’ll do whatever it takes for his team to win. That includes sharing his position with Anthony Volpe. 

Chisholm Jr. was a notable Yankees player absent from the lineup in the club's 9-0 win over the Red Sox in Game 1. But with LHP Payton Tolle on the mound, it was a strategic decision for Yankees manager Aaron Boone to roll with Volpe at second base. Since Chisholm Jr. sports a career OPS of .662 against lefties, more than 100 points lower than his career OPS against right handers, it was an easy choice. 

And that choice actually paid off in a big way for the Yankees. Volpe went 1-for-3 at the plate and even helped spark the game’s defining late-inning rally that shut the door on the Red Sox. The 25-year-old laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt that pushed the runners to second and third before Austin Wells hit a sacrifice fly just two batters later. It was such a rewarding sight to see for a team often criticized for struggling to play small ball at times. 

While Volpe had his moment to shine in the series opener, Chisholm Jr. found himself reinserted back into the lineup for Game 2 against RHP Sunny Gray. And much like Volpe in the previous game, Chisholm Jr. boasted a very strong performance and had a hand in helping the Yankees cruise to an easy victory. Chisholm Jr. went 2-for-3 at the dish while also scoring two runs. And much to the chagrin of a certain radio booth, Chisholm Jr. even added a couple of steals in the seventh inning that would eventually lead to the Yankees tacking on an additional insurance run. 

Boone managed the series perfectly, pushing the right buttons at the right time. As a result, he got the most from Volpe and Chisholm Jr. and helped his team glide into the Division Series matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays. Although Boone has caught flak in the past for some questionable in-game decisions and lineup management, he deserves credit for this one. 

The Yankees will need both Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Volpe to beat the Rays

Make no mistake about it though, Chisholm Jr. was not exactly thrilled about sitting the bench in Game 1 against Tolle. And who could blame him? He’s one of the best second basemen in baseball and of course he wants to be on the field. That’s exactly what he told reporters in the lead up to the game. 

As reported by Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News, Chisholm Jr. admitted that he has already made his feelings known about being platooned. And those feelings are about what you'd expect. 

“We’ve seen it,” Chisholm said, alluding to his benching in last year’s postseason matchup against Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet. “You’ve seen how I felt about not being in games in the playoffs.”    

Chisholm Jr. famously reacted to his benching last year by turning his back to reporters to answer questions. It's not the worst thing a player has done to vent their frustrations, but many took that action as a direct shot at Boone. But according to Chisholm Jr., that couldn't be any further from the truth. 

“I feel like with Boonie, he will come up to me and let me know what’s going on before it’s put out there, which I always respect that out of him,” Chisholm added. “He’s always been good on that side of things.”

Although Chisholm Jr. has a strong dislike for missing action against lefties on the mound, he will do whatever the Yankees ask of him to get the job done. And that’s big, because the team will need him and Volpe to keep their play up as they prepare to take on the Rays. 

With southpaws like Cam Booser, Garrett Cleavinger, and Ian Seymour lurking on their pitching staff, you can bet that Rays manager Kevin Cash will be playing the matchup game against the Yankees. Even without Shane McClanahan, that can present challenges for Boone to manage around. That means that we could see more platooning based on how the Rays plan out their rotation behind Drew Rasmussen. 

Regardless of how the Rays pitching looks on paper, the Yankees will be carrying some strong momentum into the ALDS. If both Chisholm Jr. and Volpe continue to play at high levels, then that momentum could guide them into the next round of the playoffs. 

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow