Jazz Chisholm Jr. has never been aloof from the spotlight. And not always for the right seasons. From the cheating controversy to costly errors that have tested the fans’ patience, Chisholm Jr. has been a vibrant character for the New York Yankees. And his name has been as polarizing as the diamond-studded chains he wears. But behind that noise, Chisholm built something that speaks louder than any headline—family.
It all began a year ago on a shuttle bus at the Williamsport Regional Airport. Chisholm Jr. sat next to 11-year-old Russell McGee, a little leaguer from Nevada, who was headed to the Classic. “You’re my favorite player,” the boy told Chisholm, who couldn’t hold back his smile. And in his words, he felt like he had just met his little brother.
And that brief meeting developed into something way deeper. They then swapped numbers, and they even followed each other on Instagram. And next thing you know, Jazz was sending McGee boxes of baseball gear. Everything from gloves to cleats and mitts. Now, they were not just a player and a fan, they bonded more than that.
McGee, who is now 12, mentioned, “He said he’s always going to have my back. He wants to make me the best possible baseball player I can be. He wants me to go far one day.” And Chisholm has lived up to the promise, as they too hung out at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. They even played endless sessions of NBA 2K, and they even coached side by side at a youth event. At last year’s Little League Classic, while he was sidelined with injury, Chisholm sat with McGee’s team.
Who does so much? For a player who is often criticized for being flashy and inconsistent, this unexpected brotherhood shows another side of him. It portrays him as a mentor and as a role model. Chisholm wished that when he was in Little League, he had someone to. “When I was in Little League, having a big leaguer talking to me and hanging out with my friends would’ve been sick. I just enjoyed being with a kid that reminded me of myself.” He added, “I like to give back to the future, especially to someone with high hopes. He’s a great kid. Being around him makes me feel like a better person and a better player. It makes me feel like I can help the future in some way.” Now, baseball may judge New York Yankees Chisholm Jr. by his errors or his swag, but Russell McGee knows that for him, Jazz is a brother, his family. A bond they found by choice.
Yankee’s Jazz Chisholm Jr. coming out of the home run derby curse?
Call it the Hall Run Derby curse or just a mid-season slump, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. insists that he is back to being himself. And if you watched Friday night in St. Louis, then you would probably believe him. The New York Yankees launched a two-run shot that helped them get a 4-3 win over the Cardinals. Most importantly, he sounded like a hitter finding his swag back. “I’m starting to feel like I can hit any pitch again. Once it’s over the plate, I’m going to crush it a little bit.”This is the Chisholm Jr. that the Yankees need, especially now when they are in such a crucial stage of their postseason push.
Even though their recent stretch has been winning. Now, Jazz, before the All-Star break, was one of the most consistent bats, good enough to get him a Derby invite. However, just after hitting three homers in that event, he came out of the break. In the first 20 games, Chisholm Jr. batted .197 with a .568 OPS and struck out 25 times. Yes, it was not pretty. Some even wondered if the Derby threw off his mechanics a little; however, Chisholm disagreed flat out. He blamed the lost timing over the four-day break.
Then Aaron Boone sat down with him for a breather, and that decision reset him. Boone said, “We kind of had a week, a 10-day lull there where he was scuffling. But it looks like he’s starting to gain some traction again. When he’s locked in, you know how he can impact the game.” And well, impact games, he does sure do because even with a month lost because of an injury, he is on his way to a 20-20 season. 21 homers and 18 steals, he is now in the company of stars like Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and Julio Rodríguez. And for the Yankees, if, as Jazz says, he is truly back, then their chase to the playoffs gets a whole lot better.
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