JUPITER, Fla. -- Ever want to swap styles with a buddy for a day? Wonder what it’s like to spend time in someone else’s … jewelry?
The Marlins channeled some of that energy this week, when Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Richard Bleier brought a “Freaky Friday” vibe to Photo Day at Roger Dean Stadium. How else to describe the photo shoot those two players took part in, where Bleier donned Chisholm’s chains and even briefly assumed his identity? The Marlins shared the hilarious interaction on Instagram, providing evidence of the loose atmosphere they’re enjoying in camp this spring.
“I’m just trying to fit in with the younger kids, and I think chains are the way to that -- chains and TikTok,” Bleier said. “I've always wondered what it'd be like to be an athletic position player, so now I know what that feels like. I felt a lot cooler, definitely. I felt like my net worth and my wealth -- at least my apparent wealth -- was increased. It was a lot easier to portray my status in this world with my chains, so I liked that.”
Added Chisholm: “Every day, somebody asks me to borrow a chain. It was Photo Day, so I was like, ‘You know what? You can borrow my chain for Photo Day.’ Then I put the first one on him and thought, ‘Wow, that looks fire!’ So I put the rest of them on him.”
Asked if he ever felt the urge to swap styles with the 34-year old Bleier, the 24-year-old Chisholm’s eyes widened.
“Like Bleier?” he teased. “Mean-mugging everybody? I think I’ll hold off on that. But he’s my boy!”
Bleier wasn’t surprised.
“Do I think he’s ever wondered what it’s like to be an uncoordinated, old lefty reliever who can barely walk?” Bleier said. “No. And if he has wondered that, I don’t know what your thought process is in life in general. He needs to work on that.”
Despite their contrasting styles, Chisholm and Bleier make a more likely pairing than it may initially seem. Both are outgoing and comfortable showcasing their personality on and off the field. Chisholm is always sporting a kaleidoscopic array of gear, bats and hair to complement those chains, which he plays in. And for the sharp, self-deprecating Bleier, Photo Day shenanigans are nothing new. He previously teamed up with Orioles top prospect Adley Rutschman and Mychal Givens for similar antics when he was on Baltimore's roster.
“I've always enjoyed Photo Day with my teammates,” Bleier said. “I think it’s fun. It’s, like, not serious. I saw Jazz was doing funny photos with his chains, and I've always wanted chains, I just know I can't pull them off. So I figured for one day, I can be cool and have chains, and then it’s documented.
“I don't know how to wear chains. Apparently, there's a specific order of operations on how you wear chains and how you put them on. I don't know, I didn't get the notes on it. Is it largest to smallest? I assume that’s what he did. I was nervous, because there's a lot of money around my neck.”
The veteran southpaw is coming off a characteristically solid season in the Marlins’ bullpen, when he pitched to a 2.95 ERA in 58 innings while being deployed in a variety of situations. Chisholm is a major piece of Miami’s exciting young core, and he figures to play a key role in its infield after flashing plenty of impact potential as a rookie in ’21, when he paired 18 homers with 23 stolen bases -- and was responsible for Bleier’s TikTok debut.