Jazz Chisholm Jr. wasn’t in the Yankees’ last starting lineup of the regular season on Sunday, but he said that he considered himself available a day after taking a 96.8-mph sinker to his left forearm.
“I think he’s pretty good,” Aaron Boone added. “He should be available today in some way. A little sore, but nothing too serious, I don’t think.”
Chisholm also said that he was sore and dealing with some swelling, but the second baseman underwent X-rays and a CT scan on Saturday after Baltimore lefty Grant Wolfram hit him in the meat of his forearm in the fifth inning. Those tests came back clean, giving the playoff-bound Yankees reason to exhale after the hit-by-pitch initially sent Chisholm racing to the dugout in pain.
“He’s gonna be a big part of what we do in October, so you never like seeing him go down in that pain,” Aaron Judge said Saturday. “You kind of wonder what’s gonna happen, especially hitting the forearm, hand area, stuff like that. You never know what’s gonna happen, but praying that it’s all gonna be alright. He’s a tough kid, so he’ll be good.”
The Yankees are fortunate to have avoided a worst-case scenario ahead of the postseason, as Chisholm has been one of the best second basemen in the majors this year, recording the fourth 30-30 season in Yankees history while adding an .815 OPS, 126 wRC+ and eight Outs Above Average. Losing his left-handed swing, speed and glove for an extended stretch would have been a huge loss this October.
With the Yankees still trying to claim the American League East – they entered the last day of the season needing a win and a Blue Jays loss – José Caballero started at second base.
