Playing in the MLB Postseason, everything is magnified. Errors are costlier, and even the smallest detail can change a team’s fate. For Jazz Chisholm Jr., the stakes are even higher because he’s playing on an expiring deal with the New York Yankees. Well aware that his future in The Bronx is on the line, Chisholm Jr. still didn’t think too much of his error in the first inning of Game 2 that opened the scoring for the Tampa Bay Rays.
In the bottom of the first inning, the Rays got off to a great start and had runners on first and second base as Junior Caminero stepped up to the plate. He hit a ground ball that shortstop George Lombard Jr. handed to Chisholm Jr. for an out at second. Instead of settling for the one-out play, Jazz went for the double play, making an ill-advised throw to first that missed Luis Garcia by a mile. That error allowed Yandy Diaz to open the scoring and Caminero to reach second.
With his back turned and in an awkward position, the odds of Chisholm making that throw were very low, and in such a high-stakes scenario, Aaron Boone would’ve instructed the pending free agent to hold on to the ball 10 out of 10 times. Following the 5-2 loss that pushed the Yankees to the brink of elimination and was filled with errors on defense for New York, Chisholm Jr. dropped a bold statement about his error, one that fans didn’t take lightly.
“Honestly, I’d probably still throw it,” Chisholm Jr. said, via Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, on the play. “The play was trying to be made. I just feel like I could have probably tried to make an even better throw. Where I’d throw it, I’d try and throw it a little more closer to the base. My back was turned.”
Yankees continue to embarrass themselves, this time it’s Jazz Chisholm Jr. trying to be a hero https://t.co/NPujS5lLcg
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) October 6, 2026
Yankees fans bash Jazz
The error in the first inning of Game 2 of the ALDS might as well recap Chisholm’s year in a nutshell. It’s been that type of season for the soon-to-be free agent in MLB, and he’s been hearing it from fans all year long.
If his errors, subpar batting numbers, and eyebrow-raising comments are combined with the fact that qualifying offers in MLB will only get more expensive, it might put the writing on the wall for Jazz’s time in The Bronx. Clearly, most fans on social media have made up their minds.
“Chisholm is hopeless. He’s a legend in his own mind,” one fan wrote on X. “Saying ‘even better’ is implying the throw was good to begin with. That (expletive) ball landed back in Yankee stadium,” another one replied to Chisholm’s statement. “If you as a player are hitting the deck as you are going to throw, don’t throw it. Your odds of making an accurate throw are slim to none. Jazz’s pride is what will always outweigh his immense talent,” a Yankees fan stated.
Rough outing for NY Yankees
For the second straight game at Tropicana Field, the Yankees didn’t quite look like themselves. They have seemingly turned away from what was working after doing all the right things against the Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card. Obviously, the Rays are a much better team, but it’s often through self-inflicted injuries that the Pinstripers hurt themselves.
As much controversy as his comment on the error may bring, Chisholm described the game perfectly during his locker room media availability. “We beat ourselves today in a lot of ways,” he said.
New York has its back against the wall, only one loss away from the 2026 season being over. Once that happens, Pandora’s box will open in The Bronx, with Chisholm Jr. likely to be one of the first to feel the immediate effects, and a long winter of questions will begin.
Key takeaways
- Jazz Chisholm Jr. made a first-inning throwing error during Game 2 of the ALDS.
- The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the New York Yankees 5-2, placing New York on the brink of elimination.
- “Honestly, I’d probably still throw it,” Chisholm Jr. said regarding his errant throw.
