BOSTON — The New York Yankees have long needed reinforcements.
The process of adding them started in earnest on Saturday when the Yankees traded with the Miami Marlins in exchange for second baseman and center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr.
In the deal, which was first reported by Craig Mish of SportsGrid, the Yankees are sending Triple A catcher Agustin Ramirez, High A infielder Jared Serna and rookie ball infielder/outfielder Abrahan Ramirez to Miami.
“Very talented,” manager Aaron Boone said before Saturday’s game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. “Athletic. Speed. Power. Seems like versatility. Can play a lot of different places. I’ve only seen him from afar obviously but obviously a very talented young player.”
Ramirez, 22, is considered to have serious power but a questionable defensive reputation. He hit .290 with 16 homers in 58 games at Double-A Somerset before hitting .224 with four homers in 29 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He also spent some time at first base and DH.
Chisholm Jr., 26, ranked No. 16 overall and No. 9 amongst the available bats on The Athletic’s Top 50 trade deadline big board. He was hitting .249 with 13 home runs, 50 RBIs and a .730 OPS through 386 at-bats.
Play that smooth Jazz.
Welcome to Pinstripes, @j_chisholm3 🔥 pic.twitter.com/M9GYWnsddW
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 27, 2024
It’s unclear how the Yankees will use Chisholm Jr. Aaron Judge will likely remain the team’s starting center fielder when Giancarlo Stanton (hamstring) returns from the injured list and to the DH role on Monday. The team could platoon Chisholm Jr. with current starting second baseman Gleyber Torres, who hits righty. Chisholm Jr. hits lefty.
Chisholm Jr. has never played third base in the majors or minors. But he came up as a shortstop and is considered a good fielder at second base. With DJ LeMahieu’s struggles well-documented, it remains to be seen whether Chisholm Jr. could take on the challenge of learning third base on the fly.
On Saturday, LeMahieu was out of the lineup for the second straight game against a right-handed pitcher with Oswaldo Cabrera instead starting at third base.
The Yankees likely would use Chisholm Jr. longer-term at second base. Torres will be a free agent at the end of the season. Chisholm Jr. won’t hit free agency until after the 2026 campaign.
The Yankees could also look to deal Torres, who is in the midst of a terrible overall season but has been on an upswing lately. Overall, he’s hit just .237 with 10 homers, 37 RBIs and a .681 OPS — good for a 92 OPS+. But Torres — a two-time All-Star — has hit .329 with a .899 OPS over his past 19 games.
Boone’s club has also been on the search for a regular leadoff hitter, cycling through the underperforming Anthony Volpe, LeMahieu, Verdugo and Torres. Chisholm Jr. should fill that hole. He has a career .732 OPS out of the leadoff spot in 192 starts.
The Yankees rank 27th in wRC+ out of the leadoff position this season. Since moving Volpe out of the top spot in their order, the Yankees have been searching for a permanent solution but no one has emerged among Ben Rice, Verdugo and Torres. Chisholm Jr. has graded out slightly above average at the plate this season, but he should be better hitting in front of Juan Soto and Judge.
Chisholm Jr.’s .320 on-base percentage would rank fourth on the Yankees. He also brings much-needed power to a team that hasn’t slugged since Stanton injured his hamstring. According to Statcast, Chisholm Jr. would have 19 home runs this season if he played all of his games at Yankee Stadium. He also adds a speed element that the Yankees lack; Chisholm Jr. immediately becomes the fastest player on the team with his 87th-percentile sprint speed.
One potential concern may be Chisholm Jr.’s fit in the clubhouse. This spring, he clashed with former teammate Miguel Rojas over Rojas’ leadership style. But the Yankees’ clubhouse has been able to absorb somewhat individualistic personalities of late, including Marcus Stroman and Alex Verdugo this season, and Josh Donaldson last year.
(Top photo of Jazz Chisholm Jr.: Elsa/Getty Images)
