Injured Yankees Star Told to Make One Crucial Change to Fix Consistency Issues Before Returning

Just a few days ago, on Tuesday, a New York Yankees star swung his bat against the Baltimore Orioles, only to exit the game with a strained right oblique. “I think it’s going to be some time. In his mind it’s going to be real quick but I think it’s going to be a while, but we’ll just see how he heals up,” manager Aaron Boone said, confirming it as a high-grade strain. As expected, Jazz Chisholm Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured list. But the injuries haven’t been the real issue with Chisholm Jr. It’s worth noting his inconsistency at the plate this season, which has prompted suggestions that he may need to adjust his approach before making a comeback.

Though the injury has been confirmed by Boone, his potential return date remains unclear. For the time being, Chisholm Jr. is likely to be replaced by Oswald Peraza. When Chisholm Jr. was asked about his injury, he simply responded that he felt “pretty good.” Not only wasn’t he worried about his injury, he expected to return within a few days — “two or three days,” in his words. But of course, that’s not the concern, The Athletic‘s Brendan Kuty pointed out, writing, “He’s been inconsistent.”

Chisholm Jr. has been told to take some time off. Well, not only for his recovery. But “to reset himself at the plate.” Well, his struggles on the plate cannot be hardly be ignored. Chisholm Jr. is batting just .181 with seven home runs, a .304 OBP, and a .714 OPS—numbers that are below his career averages. 

Chisholm Jr. is a valuable member of the Yankees’ lineup. He was instrumental in the team’s run to the World Series last season. The Yankees have greatly benefited from his athleticism and versatility, but now Chisholm needs to rethink his approach at the plate. While he maintained a solid barrel rate of 14.9% and a 38.8% hard-hit rate, his exit velocity has dropped to 87.9 mph. This clearly reflects his poor bat swing, which aligns with the inconsistency in overall production, too.

Additionally, his 31.2% strikeout rate is a worrying sign, indicating the ongoing challenges with contact. And now, it’s a boon for the pitchers to exploit his weaknesses. That’s why it’s more important for Chisholm Jr. to adjust his swing. As Kuty noted, “The Yankees had hoped Chisholm’s powerful lefty swing would be protection in the middle of the lineup for right-hander Paul Goldschmidt. Instead, he’s struck out an alarming 39 times in 105 at-bats.”

Chisholm Jr. was expected to protect in the middle of the order. But so far, he hasn’t delivered. Now, the injury woes cast another dark shadow over the Yankees. Fans will hope that Chisholm Jr. makes a quick comeback, not just being healthy, but with a renewed approach at the plate.

Yankees manager opens up about Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s injury

Things would have been different if Chisholm Jr. were the only Yankees star to be placed on the IL. This spring, they lost several key starters to injuries, including Giancarlo Stanton, Luis Gil, and Gerrit Cole. Yankees manager Boone is clearly frustrated with how things are going. According to Bryan Hoch, Boone was surprised and “couldn’t believe it” when he learned how long Chisholm Jr. might be out. 

Despite the lineup marred by injuries, the Yankees have managed to hold onto the first spot in the AL East. Still, Boone said Chisholm Jr. will likely be out for four to six weeks with his right oblique strain. Chisholm Jr., however, assured Boone that everything was good and there was not much to be worried about.

After hearing this, Boone said, “He’s in pretty good spirits. He just told me, ‘I’m fine.‘ I don’t know about that. We’ll see what we have, but we’re not going to do anything immediately.” Even so, his absence is a huge blow to the Yankees, as they may miss his speed and strength in the infield. More importantly, they’ll miss his athleticism and strong arm, which allow him to react quickly in any situation.

Everyone hopes Chisholm Jr. returns sooner than expected and regains his form after this early-season setback. Do you have any suggestions for how he can bounce back stronger?