Oct 1, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) slides into home to score on an hits an RBI single from New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) (not pictured) during the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
BRONX, NY — Jazz Chisholm released his frustration of being left out of the New York Yankees’ starting lineup in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series on Tuesday night by going home, firing up his Playstation 5, and mercy-ruling some poor soul in MLB The Show with his created team, the New York Aliens, featuring himself, Ken Griffey Jr., and Jimmy Rollins.
The second baseman, coming off a 30-30 season, then flushed his limited role in the Yankees’ 3-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox, returned to the ballpark in the Bronx on Wednesday, and let the bygones of his known displeasure with manager Aaron Boone’s decision be bygones.
“There was never a problem between me and Aaron Boone,” Chisholm said. “He’s been my manager all year. We always have disagreements. I mean, I played third base this year. We had a little bit of a disagreement on that. But at the end of the day… he always understands where I come from because he knows I’m a passionate player. I wear my feelings on my sleeve and he knows I’m there to compete.”
Consider the high road taken, which is always the right thing to do.
As for Boone, the right thing to do is to play Chisholm every night for as long as the Yankees’ postseason road lasts, because the 27-year-old left-handed speedster helped save his team’s skins multiple times in their 4-3 victory in Game 2 on Wednesday night to force a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday.
After Carlos Rodon squandered New York’s 2-0 lead on Trevor Story’s two-run single in the third inning, the Red Sox could have landed a decisive blow with runners on first and second with no outs.
Alex Bregman, a long-time foe from Houston with an extensive, clutch postseason resume, grounded a 1-1 changeup to Chisholm’s left, moving him away from the bag. In a fluid, spinning motion, he gathered the bouncer and delivered it to Anthony Volpe at second to turn an inning-ending double play.
“The double play that he turned on Bregman to his left with Volpe was special,” Boone said.
With each team trading a run, a 3-3 game meandered into the seventh where the Red Sox nearly replicated their winning formula from Game 1. With men on first and second and two outs Boston’s Masataka Yoshida — the man who delivered a pinch-hit, two-run single in the seventh the night before — punched a roller toward the hole up the middle.
“I was just trying to keep it in the infield,” Chisholm said. “Out or safe, I was just trying to make sure the runner didn’t score.”
“I thought it went through,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora admitted.
But it didn’t. Chisholm made a diving back-handed stop, got to his feet, but failed to get a sliding Yoshida at first. It did, however, save at least one run from scoring.
“He saved two runs,” Cora was quick to point out, as his runners were in motion on the full-count offering from reliever Fernando Cruz. “Because [Jarren Duran] scores [from first there].”
“That was the play of the game,” a thankful Cruz said. “I want to make sure it’s mentioned: Jazz saved us the game, completely.”
“Unbelievable play,” first baseman Ben Rice, who had a front-row seat to it all, added. “That’s what you’re going to get from him. Just a guy who’s going to give 110% every play.”
To top it all off, Chisholm ground out a two-out seven-pitch walk in the bottom of the eighth inning against Red Sox reliever Garrett Whitlock to spark a rally out of absolutely nothing. The next batter, Austin Wells, worked a full count that sent Chisholm in motion, then sent a liner down the right-field line that stayed fair by what seemed like just a few blades of grass.
“Going through my head, I’m already running, so any ball that an outfielder moves to his left or right for, I gotta score,” Chisholm said. “That’s what I was thinking.”
Wells’ single knocked off the protruding side wall roughly 60 feet in front of the right-field corner, forcing Boston’s Nate Eaton to change course and come in for the ball. It allowed just enough time for Chisholm’s head-first slide at the plate to beat a strong throw home to score the winning run.
“His speed comes into play big time, there,” Boone said.
Suddenly, Tuesday night’s frustrations feel as though they were much further in the past.
“He loves to play and he feels a responsibility to us, his teammates, and he and I have always been good, despite what you may think happened [in Game 1],” Boone said. “He’s a gamer and he likes this stage.”
That stakes upon the stage get a whole lot larger on Thursday night, as Game 3 from the Bronx becomes a win-or-go-home affair. The Red Sox will be trotting out 23-year-old rookie southpaw Connelly Early to start, but there is no disputing whether or not the lefty Chisholm will be in the starting lineup.
“Yeah, Jazz will be playing,” Boone said.
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