The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

JASRADO “Jazz” Chisholm Jr continues to do a little of everything to help the New York Yankees win.

In one of their American League Division Series on Saturday night before 48,700 fans at Yankee Stadium, the 26-year-old Chisholm Jr utilised his speed to steal second base in the bottom of the seventh.

It was a disputed call that eventually led to the third baseman scoring the go-ahead run for the Yaknees on a two-out single by Alex Verdugo for a 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals. 

Coming through in his first postseason appearance since he cracked Major League Baseball with the Miami Marlins in 2020, Chisholm Jr said it was one of those plays that he was confident he made after Royals’ catcher Salvador Perez pulled second baseman Michael Massey off the bag.

“I knew I was in there,” said Chisholm Jr of the play that drew an unsuccessful review from the Royals with the game officials. “That’s what we were talking about at second base, actually. 

“He was like, ‘I think I put down a good one.’ I said, ‘You did put down a good tag.’ I said, ‘You did put down a good tag. That doesn’t mean I’m out.”

Chisholm Jr, who got on base on a single to right fielder Tommy Pham, said there was a lot of back and forth, but knew “I had it and I knew they couldn’t overturn it. So I was just ready to go, get Dugie up there and score a run.” 

In the end, Chisholm Jr went 1-for-4 with his run scored.

Chisholm Jr was acquired from Miami in a trade on July 27. In his first 3 games as a Yankee, he hit four home runs, setting a franchise record as the first player to accomplish this feat.

Despite never playing the position before, the Yankees primarily played him at third base. 

Chisholm Jr suffered a sprained left elbow against the Chicago White Sox on August 12, and was placed on the 10-day injured list.He has played aggressively since coming off the DL as the Yankees are now making their run for the title. 

Game two of the series is slated for 7:05pm tonight at Yankee Stadium.

Also on Saturday, the New York Mets, with Antoan Richardson coaching at first base, pulled off their opener in their playoff series with a  6-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies before 45,751 fans at the Citizens Bank Park. 

Game two of the Mets-Phillies series will be played at 5:08pm Tuesday at the Citi Field in Flushing New York.

All eyes are on the Yankees and the Mets to see if they would go on and play against each other in this postseason. 

If they do, it would be the first time that two Bahamians clash in the postseason.