The Yankees knew what they were getting when they traded for Jazz Chisholm Jr. – a dynamic, high-ceiling utility player, who can play second base, shortstop, and in the outfield, too. In fact, he readily agreed to play third base, a position he had never played before professionally, given the Yankees’ then need-of-the-hour. You don’t often find a player as dynamic, flexible, super-utility, and with power. But they also knew about the injury history. And now, just over a month into the season, that history has come knocking again.<\/p>
Chisholm suffered a strained oblique during Tuesday’s 15-3 rout of the Orioles in Baltimore and was placed on the injured list<\/a> Friday. According to manager Aaron Boone, the expectation is that he’ll be sidelined for at least four to six weeks.<\/p> That leaves the Yankees in a precarious position, one they weren’t fully prepared for, despite Chisholm’s well-documented injury track record. Since the start of the 2021 season, Chisholm has endured roughly 20 different injuries, missed 220 games, and topped 600 plate appearances just once. For a team with solid infield depth, that’s an acceptable risk. For the Yankees, who lack it, it’s a serious problem.<\/p> The immediate solution? Jorbit Vivas, a 23-year-old rookie recalled from Triple-A Scranton\/Wilkes-Barre on Friday, made his MLB debut that same night in a 3-0 win over the Rays. Boone didn’t hesitate when asked about his playing time. “He’s going to play a lot,”<\/em> the manager said.<\/p>