The New York Yankees (8-5) have lost three consecutive games. On Saturday, in the team’s first game of a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Yankees lost 5-3.
In what was one of the first games back in the Trop in Tampa, the Yankees’ bats went cold again, which included Jazz Chisholm Jr., who is off to an especially cold start to the 2026 season. Jazz went 0-for-4 in the loss and is hitting just .170 with three RBI and 8 total hits.
A little bit before the Rays series, Jazz Chisholm Jr. revealed the reason behind the slow start, and it’s one that Yankees fans should be turning their heads about.
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Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. Blames Cold for Slow Start
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 03: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees scores after Aaron Judge is hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the second inning against the Miami Marlins during the home opener at Yankee Stadium on April 03, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Jazz Chisholm Jr. recently cited why he’s off to a slow start this season:
“It’s cold. It’s literally all it is.. I’m not using it as an excuse. As soon as the weather heats up, I heat up. That’s what it is, it’s hard to function when you can’t even feel the bat.”
If the Yankees make it to October, will Jazz cite that he is ‘cold’ after a bad performance that could determine New York’s season?
The three-game losing streak for the Yankees may highlight the fact that their lineup isn’t as strong on paper (when Aaron Judge isn’t producing) as they thought through the first nine games of the season.
The New York Yankees are counting on Jazz Chisholm to be a real power threat in their lineup.
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Jazz Chisholm Jr. is on a 50/50 Pursuit
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 08: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees looks on during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game four of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 08, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
Before the 2026 season began, Jazz self-proclaimed that he was a “50 homer, 50 stolen” base player. So far, in 12 games, he has zero HR’s and five stolen bases.
This is also, notably, a contract year for the seven-year MLB veteran. Chisholm has a career 108 OPS+ with 108 HR’s, a .246 batting average, and 530 career hits. With the Yankees’ short porch in right field, it benefits a hitter like Jazz greatly to be able to enjoy some favorable home runs.
In 2025, Chisholm hit 31 home runs and stole 31 bases on his way to becoming one of the ‘upper echelon’ second basemen in MLB, which has since attracted a lot of attention to the two-time All-Star infielder.
What are some overall thoughts on Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s comments about his slow start to the season?
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