NEW YORK — With the Yankees in the throes of a defensive funk, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is reverting to his role as the New York Yankees’ everyday second baseman more than one month after he returned from the injured list to play third base, manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday, leaving veteran DJ LeMahieu’s future uncertain.
The decision came after Chisholm on Sunday told reporters that he hurt his right shoulder three weeks ago making a throw from third base, which he said impaired his throwing. Chisholm committed three throwing errors in four games before getting the day off Sunday against the New York Mets. He was named to the American League All-Star team later that day.
“I still maintain I think he’s played both outstanding,” Boone said. “Obviously, the last week was a little bit of a struggle for him over at third. I think part of that is just being a little banged up and not being able to do some of his prep work that allows him to stay on top of things at third. But I think just letting his athleticism go in the middle of the diamond, hopefully something that serves him and us well.”
LeMahieu was the Yankees’ primary starting second baseman since making his season debut May 13. The former batting champion has been a steady contributor at the plate since the start of June, batting .310 with a .754 OPS in 31 games, but his limited range at second base was a hindrance.
LeMahieu, 36, has extensive experience at third base — he has started 238 regular-season games there since joining the Yankees before the 2019 season — but Boone, citing physical constraints, said LeMahieu would move to a bench role instead of starting at third base. LeMahieu, who is on the books for $15 million next season, began the season on the injured list because of a left calf strain.
“I think physically it’s a challenge for him right now,” Boone said. “So, right now, no plans of doing that, but we’ll see.”
Oswald Peraza will start at third base Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners. A glove-first infielder and former top prospect, Peraza’s 37 wRC+ entering Tuesday ranked 307th out of 309 players with at least 140 plate appearances this season.
“It’s been a struggle offensively,” Boone said. “I think wherever you put him on the diamond, the defense has been phenomenal. He’s a really talented defender.”
Chisholm, 27, was the Yankees’ opening-day second baseman and made all of his 30 starts there before straining his right oblique in late April. He returned from the injured list June 3 with a request from his bosses to move back to third base, a position he learned on the fly last season after the Yankees acquired him from the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline and played through the World Series. Chisholm has said he is most comfortable at second base but obliged again this season, starting 28 straight games at third base while the Yankees prioritized keeping LeMahieu’s bat in the lineup. And while Chisholm’s defense regressed, his offensive production did not; Chisholm is batting .247 with 15 homers, 39 RBIs and an .846 OPS after hitting an RBI double Tuesday night in a 10-3 victory over the Mariners.
“Elite defender, elite slugging, fast, great defense,” Chisholm said when asked to describe himself as a second baseman. “I don’t know what else to tell you. It sounds like a complete player to me.”
Though the defensive alignment will improve run prevention, the Yankees took another hit in that department when the club announced that reliever Mark Leiter Jr. was put on the injured list because of a stress fracture in his left fibula. Leiter said he sustained the injury trying to beat Elly De La Cruz to cover first base during his outing on June 24 against the Cincinnati Reds.
Leiter said he heard a “pop,” but he initially believed it was a minor calf injury. He pitched through the injury with treatment, appearing in three games in four days against the Toronto Blue Jays last week. But he said the discomfort increased when he warmed up Saturday and became an issue when he pitched Sunday against the Mets.
“Sunday really was when I felt compromised for the first time since it happened,” Leiter said. “I didn’t feel like myself.”
Leiter, 34, said he has not been given a timetable to return. He has a 4.46 ERA across 41 games this season, second on the club to Tim Hill‘s 42 relief appearances entering Tuesday.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
