NY Yankees get great update from Jazz Chisholm Jr., who shares expected return date

After being hit with tough injury news on Jazz Chisholm Jr., New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone came up with his lineup strategy for Aaron Judge and Anthony Volpe, who was called up to fill in for Chisholm Jr. However, the provisional changes may not be around for too long after Chisholm Jr. voiced a confident injury update and even revealed when he expects to be back on the diamond in the 2026 MLB season.

Chisholm Jr. has been placed on the 10-day injured list (IL) with a sprained right thumb. To the Yankees‘ delight, they may have no reason to fear an even longer absence, as the infielder himself said he expects to return within the initial timeline of his IL stint. Concerns about a potentially MLB regular-season-ending injury have been cleared.

“Jazz Chisholm Jr., wearing a brace, said he is confident that he’ll be back before the end of the regular season,” Gary Phillips of NY Daily News Sports reported on X. “He hopes to be ready after the Yankees’ upcoming road trip.“

Chisholm Jr. expects to be back for crucial series

Although the Yankees placed Chisholm Jr. on the 10-day IL on Sept. 10, the move was made retroactive to Sept. 9. That means he can be activated from the IL on Sept. 19, and he could play in the final two games of the Arizona Diamondbacks series (Sept. 18-20). That’s a possibility, but an unlikely one.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees.

With New York playing on the road in Arizona before returning home for the final seven games of the regular season, it’s most likely he will be activated when Boone and company touch down in the Big Apple.

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Based on Jazz’s self-reported timeline, that’s exactly what will happen. In doing so, Chisholm Jr. could be back for a trending-to-be decisive, AL East division-title-deciding, four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays (Sept. 22-24). After that heavyweight bout at Yankee Stadium, which will include a doubleheader on Sept. 22, the Pinstripers will host the Baltimore Orioles for the final series of the season.

AL East pennant race

As things stand, the Yankees are 3.5 games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East. Even if that holds by the time they meet, the series could well decide who comes out on top in the pennant race.

As much criticism as Chisholm Jr. has received in what’s been a character-testing contract year in the Bronx, he’s recently found his footing, recording a .288 batting average and .801 OPS across August and September. Having him fully healthy for the home stretch may be all the Yankees are missing to take down the first-place team in the division.