NEW YORK – Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. was out of the starting lineup against the Athletics on Thursday afternoon in favor of Amed Rosario.
Chisholm needs to get better in the batter’s box. Entering Thursday’s action, he had a slash line of .190/.261/.262 with no homers and three RBIs in 11 games. When approached about his slow start, Chisholm pointed out that the media approached him last year through 12 games, when he had a slash line of .180/.255/.460.
“How were my numbers by season’s end?” Chisholm asked.
Of the Yankees’ position players, Chisholm ended up third in WAR per Baseball Reference (4.2) with a career-high 31 homers and 80 RBIs.
Chisholm believes once the weather gets warmer, his bat will start booming. He acknowledged that playing in the cold weather has been tough. Gametime temperatures in the last two games he played were in the low 40s. During the six-game homestand, the temperature never reached 60 degrees.
“It’s cold. It’s literally all it is,” Chisholm said. “My swing feels great. When you step into that cold weather and you stand there a couple of innings, your body starts to freeze. …
“I’m not using that as an excuse. I said the same thing last year. As soon as the weather heats up, I heat up. That’s what it is. I can’t explain why. It’s not like I’m not trying. I’m definitely trying. … It’s hard to function when you can’t feel the bat.”
Chisholm is expected to be back in the lineup Friday, when the Yankees play the Rays at Tropicana Field. No doubt, Chisholm will be in a warmer climate.
“We’ll see how I do in that series, and then you ask about it,” Chisholm said. “We are 11 games in and we are in Game 12. … Question me in a month and a half. If I’m still with no homers after 40 games, [then come to me].”