New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm entered the 2025 campaign hoping to hit 50 home runs to go along with 50 stolen bases. He also said he was aiming for a contract worth in the neighborhood of $350 million over 10 years.
But the start he has gotten off to is certainly not in line with his goals.
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Chisholm has gone just 9-for-52 thus far this season and is slashing .173/.232/.250. He does have six stolen bases, so on the rare occasion he reaches base, he has been running, but he has yet to hit a homer yet.
The two-time All-Star has struck out 17 times over 56 plate appearances, and when he isn’t fanning, he is generally popping out.
And let’s not forget his poor fielding thus far, which was on full display during the Yankees’ extra inning loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday evening … or how he doesn’t seem to know the rules.
So what has been the issue for Chisholm? Is it the burden of his own expectations? Is he simply not seeing the ball well?
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Well, the 28-year-old offered a rather blunt explanation for his struggles: the weather.
“It’s cold. It’s literally all it is,” Chisholm said. “My swing feels great. When you step into that cold weather and you stand there a couple of innings, your body starts to freeze.”
The cold doesn’t seem to be bothering Ben Rice or Giancarlo Stanton, and Cody Bellinger has been hitting the ball pretty well, too.
New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm. Credit: John Froschauer-Imagn Images.
“I’m not using that as an excuse. I said the same thing last year,” Chisholm added. “As soon as the weather heats up, I heat up. That’s what it is. I can’t explain why. It’s not like I’m not trying. I’m definitely trying. … It’s hard to function when you can’t feel the bat.”
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But here’s the problem: it’s cold in October, too. Sometimes even colder than in April.
So is that the reason why Chisholm owns a lifetime .170/.247/.295 slash line across 24 playoff games?
Chisholm cited his 2025 stats through 12 games, noting that he was batting .180. But he also had a .460 slugging percentage at the time.
And this isn’t even really about whether or not Chisholm’s complaints about the weather are valid. It’s about whether or not he will actually be able to hit in the crisp, cold air of postseason baseball.
Yankees fans should not only be aggravated by Chisholm’s comments; they should also be worried. Does this mean New York is not going to have a critical piece of its offense in October? Will Chisholm fail to produce whenever the atmosphere gets below a certain temperature?
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Chisholm would have been far better off just acknowledging that he is in a slump and that he will eventually bust out of it.
Citing the weather as an explanation isn’t going to win him any points with the Bronx faithful. And again, if that really is an issue for Chisholm, then perhaps the Yankees should look for alternatives in the playoffs.
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