The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

JASRADO “Jazz” Chisholm Jr continues to emerge as the face of the Miami Marlins franchise and his hot start to the season has him among the team leads early in the 2022 season.

In Sunday’s 11-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, Chisholm went 2-4 (a double and a triple), with three RBI and a run scored.

Chisholm has been out of the lineup for two games based on Marlins manager Don Mattingly’s adjustments to find favourable matchups against left hand pitchers, but ranks among Marlins leaders in hits, runs, triples and homers and RBIs.

In seven games, the 24-year-old infielder is hitting .318, slugging .824 with a 1.234 OPS and a .370 OBP. He leads the team with two home runs, two doubles, two triples, and 10 RBI while just ninth on the team with 22 at bats. His five runs scored rank second while his seven hits rank third.

“When everyone’s contributing, we win,” Chisholm said after Sunday’s win. “This is what we expected. We expect this every day. It might not be every day because baseball’s super hard. But we’re just happy we’re doing it now.”

He sparked a Marlins four run second inning with his triple and added an RBI double in the sixth. He also added a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

The Marlins will open a three-game home stand tonight against the St Louis Cardinals at 6:40pm.

“This year, I’m just working on consistency and staying mentally into the game instead of losing my head,” Chisholm told Fox Sports’ Pedro Moura. “I probably watched my highlights 150 times in a month,” Chisholm said. “I think I watched video every single day in the offseason — of myself, the same swings, all my highlights.”

Off the field, Chisholm has had viral moments with everyone from young fans impersonating his look to Hollywood star Charlie Sheen wearing custom Chisholm t-shirts at Los Angeles Angels games. “He’s already a fan favourite. Young fans, old fans, people who’ve been around baseball, they like the way that he plays, and everything that he brings to the table,” Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas said. “What I say to Jazz, though, is that now is your time to focus on your game. Your game will speak for you. The things that you do on the field and off the field, you don’t have to do too much. A lot of people already like you.”

In 2021, the Marlins finished 67-95, fourth in the National League East.

Chisholm’s first full season in Major League Baseball earned a postseason accolade as he was named to MLB Pipeline’s All-Rookie Second team.

He appeared in 124 games, (91 at second base, 37 at shortstop) with 119 starts. He hit .248 with a .728 OPS, slugging .425 with 115 hits, 183 total bases, 70 runs scored, 20 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs, 53 RBI and a team leading 23 stolen bases.

Despite missing 34 games with various ailments, including a hamstring strain, ankle strain, shoulder contusion and time on the COVID-19 reserve list, he finished just two home runs away from the vaunted milestone of 20 stolen bases and 20 home runs in his rookie season.