NEW YORK — Jazz Chisholm arrived at the Yankee clubhouse wearing what some might call his Sunday best. Only it was Thursday, Opening Day. His white and beige suit with subtle pinstripes, in true Chisholm fashion, forced those surrounding him to do a double take. With his shades still hovering over his nose, but low enough to reveal his dark brown eyes, his confidence was unmistakable.
“The sky’s the limit with Jazz,” said manager Aaron Boone. “I mean, you can just ask him.”
Yet while his skill set, if you ask him, is audaciously believed to stretch beyond the horizon, the Yankees, his club, face the question of whether they will hover a bit lower.
The club lost Gerrit Cole, their ace and one of the best pitchers in baseball, to Tommy John surgery earlier this month. After dealing with elbow issues dating back to the beginning of last season, it was time for an oil change. That came after they lost out on Juan Soto to the Mets in December during a record-setting free agency, a rare defeat to their Queens adversary. They are without starter Luis Gil, last year’s American League Rookie of the Year, with a lat strain that will reportedly keep him from throwing until roughly mid-April, if not longer. And then, Clarke Schmidt was recently placed on the injured list with shoulder tendinitis.
But no injury hurt more than Cole’s, the former Cy Young winner and six-time All Star.
“That hurts, man,” said Cody Bellinger said of the loss of Cole. “I mean, there’s no denying that. Losing Gil, then [Clark for a little bit, so there’s no denying that. I mean, you know, those are really, really good baseball players. But you know, I think the mentality here is next man up. And, you know what, it’s a good mentality to have.”
That mentality carried over to Saturday when the Yankees made history, launching a franchise-record nine home runs. That included blasts from Bellinger and Chisholm and three from their captain, Aaron Judge.
“Nobody can replace Soto, he’s one of a kind,” said Judge following the New York’s 20-9 win over the Brewers Saturday. “But I think with the guys we added, we we’re able to fill some holes that we probably had last year and some more depth. You get a guy like Bellinger, you can throw in there who is gonna play first and play all three outfield positions. Paul [Goldschmidt] just a professional bat from the right side. I feel like we needed big right-handed bats. Just gives us depth.”
But one game shouldn’t mask the issues that plagued the Yankees last season. The Dodgers entered last year’s World Series confident they could finish off the Yankees with ease. The belief was that if you stuck around long enough — despite the thunder from Judge and Soto — their shaky defense would eventually unravel and beat itself.
The Yankees’ fifth-inning miscues in the World Series-clinching Game 5, including a mental lapse by Cole failing to cover first base, ultimately sealed their fate.
This season, though, the club believes they have strengthened the defense up the middle by shedding Torres and shifting Chisholm at second base, while also relying on Anthony Volpe, a Gold Glover and plus defender, at shortstop. They figured that defense and pitching will be the key to their collaborative success, helping them reach their apex powers.
“They have pitchability,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “The stuff is the stuff, right, but they pitch.”
The club put Bellinger in center, allowing Judge to move back to right field, his natural position where he thrives as a Gold Glove candidate. For Judge, though, Volpe — once the premier prospect in the Yankees’ system — stands out the most.
“The confidence at his age, I couldn’t imagine,” said Judge. “I still think back all the way to my college days [and the pressure] and he’s handled [being the Yankees shortstop] with flying colors. Coming out of the gate with a great postseason last year and kind of stumbling into this year. I love to see just the guy with quiet competence. He’s fierce and competitive.”
But as Volpe strives toward ascension, the Yankees’ biggest foe, the Red Sox, have now taken flight, too. The club acquired Garrett Crochet as its No. 1 starter, amplifying a rotation that is accompanied by names like Tanner Houck, Walker Buehler, and soon enough, Lucas Giolito, and Brayan Bello, to join the mix. Secondly, the club has young players, Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer, and Roman Anthony, who might have higher ceilings than that of Volpe’s.
But the Yankees, of course, have been the model of consistency. Its players, now with facial hair, carry that swagger, much like Chisholm did not just on Opening Day, but every day. The history and the attitude is infectious.
“I think we have a really good team,” said Bellinger. “I love the guys in this locker room. I’m fully confident in everyone’s abilities here.”
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