WEEI broadcaster Will Flemming took aim at Jazz Chisholm Jr. during the New York Yankees‘ win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.
On Monday, Chisholm punched back.
The Yankees infielder responded to Flemming’s complaints Sunday that Chisholm played “bush league” and was “padding his stats” during the eighth inning of New York’s 16-1 win over Boston.
Chisholm went 2 for 3 with two walks and two runs scored, plus two eighth-inning stolen bases that boosted his AL-leading total to 40 for the season. Those steals drew the broadcaster’s ire since Chisholm swiped the bags with the Yankees already leading 7-1.
Flemming apologized on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday and reportedly called Yankees manager Aaron Boone to apologize as well.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. ‘I Don’t Even Know Who’ Will Flemming Is
Flemming may be renowned among Red Sox Nation, but he’s getting his 15 minutes of national fame.
Flemming went viral both for his ongoing lament about Ceddanne Rafaela’s non-catch in the fifth inning and for his rant against Chisholm, in which he said the Yankees infielder “plays the game the wrong way.”
In response, the demonstrative Yankees infielder played the “I don’t know him” card.
“I didn’t even know who that was until this morning, and I’m still not going to remember who he is after today,” Chisholm said, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Asked whether he wanted an apology from the Boston broadcaster, Chisholm added, “To be honest with you, I don’t.”
Chisholm was at the plate when Rafaela failed to secure a blooper in right-center field. When the replay review proved inconclusive, Boston fans, media and even the team’s own players came unglued.
The Yankees scored five runs in the inning and never looked back, sealing a win that clinched the season series.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. Defends His Stolen Bases
Flemming was still talking about the controversial call when Chisholm stole second and third base against Boston reliever Jovani Moran.
“Chisholm’s doing it again,” Flemming said as Chisholm cruised into third base. “This is what he does.
“Wouldn’t you sort of like to see Moran drill Wells here? That’s a selfish play. That’s just padding your stats. That’s who Jazz is.”
Yet when asked about the decision to steal two bags while up six runs, Chisholm doubled down. He cited the Red Sox’s 12-1 win over the Yankees last August, in which Boston took extra bases while scoring seven runs in the top of the ninth inning — and the Yankees didn’t complain, but they also didn’t forget.
“They’re called unwritten rules because you’re not really breaking any rules,” Chisholm said. “You’ve seen teams, actually them, do the same thing where they’re pouring on runs. We didn’t have nothing to say or nothing to do about it.”
Chisholm seemed to take particular offense at Flemming’s attack on his professionalism — ironically, since Flemming himself admitted in his apology to being “a fan at heart,” undermining his own claim to objectivity. The Yankees infielder fired back at Flemming’s job performance.
“That’s just showing how unprofessional he is,” Chisholm said.
Oddly, the one thing Flemming got right was that this dust-up adds some “vinegar” to a potential wild-card series between the two clubs in October.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. Fires Back at Red Sox Broadcaster Over ‘Bush-League’ Criticism