Jazz Chisholm Jr. is close to joining a small group of New York Yankees players who have reached 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a single season. The achievement has been rare for the team, which is more known for its high home run totals than for players combining power and speed.
Currently, only three Yankees—Alfonso Soriano (2002, 2003) and Bobby Bonds (1975)—have accomplished a 30/30 season. Chisholm, who joined the Yankees last year in a trade with the Miami Marlins, now needs two more home runs and four more stolen bases to reach that mark.
“I feel like it would be great,” Chisholm said about the possibility of reaching 30/30. He noted that despite missing 28 games due to an oblique injury earlier this season, he remains confident in his ability: “My whole career I always thought that I could be better than 30/30 every time if I stayed healthy. And even though I really didn’t stay healthy this year, I’m still showing that I can get there.”
Chisholm entered Wednesday’s game against Houston with career-highs in both home runs (28) and walks (54), as well as a .243 batting average and .342 on-base percentage. Over his last 15 games, he has hit .280 with seven home runs and 15 RBIs.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone commented on Chisholm’s recent performance: “I think what we’re seeing with Jazz more now is he’s really starting to control the strike zone, and that’s allowing him to kind of go to another level as a hitter,” Boone said. “He’s never walked like this. You’re seeing him routinely do that. You’re seeing him routinely work counts. That’s one of the exciting parts for a guy obviously in the prime of his career now to really start to know the zone as well as he is. That’s going to allow him to ascend even more.”
Boone also highlighted Chisholm’s success against left-handed pitchers during Tuesday night’s win over Houston: “He’s playing really good baseball,” Boone said. “I think the remarkable part is he missed a month of the season and then when he came back didn’t run for a month. It’s just a little peek into just some special things he can do out there. And to be knocking on the door of 30/30 right now is a testament to his ability and just how much fast twitch and speed and power he has.”
Chisholm credited some of his success at the plate to scouting reports from teammates such as Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger, and Ben Rice: “I’ve been getting good, good scouting reports lately,” Chisholm said.
He described how Grisham advised him before one at-bat: “The first home run was more of, ‘You get him a little bit up [in the strike zone], just push him up and take your normal swing, and you’re going to hit a homer to right field,’” Chisholm explained.
Pitcher Max Fried offered perspective on Chisholm’s growth since they played against each other in the National League East: “He’s always had the tools and being able to have the power,” Fried said Tuesday after earning his 15th win. “I think you’re seeing him able to just really tap into it.”
Bobby Bonds was first Yankee with a 30/30 season in 1975 by hitting 32 homers with 30 steals; Soriano did so twice with New York.
Chisholm continues his pursuit amid hopes from teammates and coaches that he will soon join this exclusive list.
