Cover photo credit – Matt Meduri
The MLB trade deadline last week seems to have given a spark to the struggling New York Yankees. Since mid-June, the Bronx Bombers have been on a historically bad winning drought. Now, they are amidst a three-series winning streak trending in all the right directions.
The most notable deal came on Saturday, July 27, when the Yankees landed a star outfielder from the Miami Marlins in Jazz Chisholm. In return, the Yankees sent their #19 and #20 prospects infielder Jared Serna and catcher Agustin Ramirez respectively, along with infielder Abrahan Ramirez.
There were plenty of concerns after the Yankees traded prospects for a player who was recently voted the most overrated player in the league by his MLB peers. With Chisholm being such a polarizing player, he had a lot to prove to the intimidating city of New York.
The day after being traded, he made his Yankee debut against the rival Boston Red Sox. He collected his first hit for New York en route to an 8-2 win. Although he didn’t make a major impact in this one, there was a clear shift in culture as the Bombers earned the series win over Boston.
A major question mark in Chisholm is his attitude as he was rumored to have a toxic locker room presence. He put this worry to rest when he agreed to play third base in the series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies. Chisholm has played in the outfield and at second base throughout his career, so he was entering unfamiliar territory.
This move was even more significant since it came out that Gleyber Torres, the Yankees’ seven-year veteran second basemen, refused to play third base regardless of how it could help the team. Fans didn’t like this mentality which made Chisholm’s shift to the “hot corner” stand out and helped to end these rumors of attitude concerns.
On top of all of this, Chisholm had an absolutely incredible series against the Phillies. He hit four home runs in the first two games to help lead to another series win. The Yankees would go on to sweep what some have claimed is the best team in baseball.
In just four days in New York, Jazz Chisholm had become a fan favorite, crushing any doubts about his game. Even Yankee legend CC Sabathia has seen his impact, posting a tweet that said Chisholm “is built for the Bronx.”
The Yankees have since gone on to win their most recent series against another division rival, the Toronto Blue Jays. These are three straight series wins against some of the better teams in baseball.
Nobody expects Chisholm to keep these monster numbers up, but his presence on the field and within the organization is exactly what this team needed.
His defensive versatility gives the Yankees a variety of lineup options and forces every player to earn their time on the field. His natural athleticism is something New York has lacked as he can make diving plays on defense while showing off his blazing speed on the bases. And, of course, his swagger and flashiness is just what the Bronx needed to make Yankee baseball fun to watch again.
There is bound to be growing pains in every season, but the New York Yankees have seemed to finally turn things around. Chisholm is just the start as it takes an entire roster to earn the twenty-eighth World Series in franchise history.
