At least 4-6 weeks!
Just as the Yankees hoped Jazz Chisholm Jr. was about to emerge from his late-April slump, he’s headed in the opposite direction, straight to the injured list.
The club announced that Chisholm has been placed on the IL with a right oblique strain, retroactive to April 30. Jorbit Vivas has been called up from Triple-A to fill the roster spot, as the Yankees look to patch up yet another hole in an increasingly banged-up roster.
The injury occurred Tuesday night against the Orioles, a game that started with promise and ended with another name added to the Yankees’ growing list of sidelined regulars. Chisholm felt a twinge in his left side after an aggressive swing, then reacted visibly to an inside pitch from Kyle Gibson. He stepped away from the plate, stretched, and took a few cautious practice swings before manager Aaron Boone and a trainer came out for a check-in.
Despite the discomfort, Chisholm stayed in the game long enough to rope a double down the line and advance to third on an error. But by then, the pain was clearly lingering. Boone quickly pulled him from the contest, and what was initially described as “flank discomfort” has now been confirmed as an oblique issue.
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At first, Chisholm didn’t think it was serious. But as has been the New York Yankees unfortunate luck this season, it will cost him time.
The setback couldn’t come at a worse time for the 26-year-old, who had been one of the few bright spots in an up and down Yankees team constantly searching for rhythm. Since being acquired from the Marlins, Chisholm’s combination of pop, speed, and athleticism has made him a dynamic presence, especially suited to Yankee Stadium’s right-field porch. He’s launched 18 home runs in just 281 at-bats since arriving in the Bronx, including seven this season.
That power output has helped offset a cold stretch that saw his average dip to .181 heading into May. But even through the struggles, Chisholm remained a threat: He was a perfect 6-for-6 on stolen base attempts and ranked among team leaders in homers.
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What’s held him back, though, is the swing-and-miss. His 39 strikeouts were the most in the American League entering Wednesday, largely due to an April skid that saw him press at the plate. Still, the Yankees were betting on his tools, and hoping that a breakout was imminent. Chisholm’s IL stint is just the latest blow for a Yankees team already navigating injuries to multiple big names like Giancarlo Stanton, Luis Gil, Gerrit Cole.
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