Aaron Boone and the New York Yankees have a lot on their plate ahead of the AL Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox. With hours to go before the Bronx Bombers send in their MLB postseason roster, Jazz Chisholm Jr. added to the drama with a bold statement.
Chisholm Jr., who caught heat from Boone after his first game back from the 10-day injured list, is one of the main decisions the Yankees will have to make ahead of their best-of-three series against Boston. Coming off a right thumb sprain, Chisholm Jr. has played only three MLB games since Sept. 9.
With Anthony Volpe also competing for the second-base job, Boone admitted New York is considering a platoon solution—in which Volpe (right-handed batter) starts against left-handed pitchers and Chisholm Jr. (left-handed batter) does so against righties. Chisholm, whose demeanor is one the Yankees are already familiar with, made his stance clear.
“We’ve seen it. You’ve seen how I felt about not being in games in the playoffs,” Chisholm Jr. commented on potentially missing games in the AL Wild Card series, via NY Daily News. “As a competitor, who wouldn’t be [angry]? It’s the playoffs. You want to play. [The best players should play in the postseason], that’s how I grew up. That’s what I grew up watching and seeing.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees.
Chisholm Jr. hopes Boone will be straightforward with him
Chisholm Jr. let Boone and New York know how he’d feel about being healthy scratched so the Yankees could start Volpe instead. He also admitted he’ll have an easier time accepting the team’s decision if he hears it directly from the manager rather than being left waiting in the dark.
“I feel like with [Boone], he will come up to me and let me know what’s going on before it’s put out there, which I always respect that out of him,” Chisholm added. “He’s always been good on that side of things.”
As praiseworthy as Chisholm’s message is, it also hides a subtle warning. If Boone isn’t careful in how he treats the two-time All-Star, he risks creating a rift in the relationship, and with Jazz becoming an unrestricted free agent after the postseason, it could be the last straw after a season in which Chisholm Jr. has been through the ringer time and again.
Chisholm Jr. missed playoff games in 2025
Facing the Red Sox in the AL Wild Card and potentially being in the midst of a platoon situation brought back tough memories for Chisholm Jr. During last year’s playoffs, Boone and the Yankees sat Chisholm Jr. and started right-handed batter Amed Rosario when Boston started left-handed ace Garrett Crochet.
Boston has already announced Payton Tolle, another southpaw pitcher, will start Game 1 at Yankee Stadium. Facing a lefty for the majority of the series opener, New York may rather play a right-handed batter (Volpe in this case) over Chisholm’s left-handed bat.
What do they say? The more things change, the more they stay the same. Chisholm Jr. can surely attest to that in consecutive AL Wild Card series against the Red Sox.
Key takeaways
- Jazz Chisholm Jr. expressed frustration over potentially missing playoff games amid a second-base platoon decision.
- Aaron Boone is considering starting right-handed hitter Anthony Volpe against Boston southpaw Payton Tolle.
- Boston previously sat the left-handed hitter in the 2025 postseason against left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet.
