The New York Yankees lost a thriller to the San Diego Padres in their series opener Friday night, falling 3-2 in extra innings.
The two teams are set to face off again Saturday, with left-hander Carlos Rodon on the bump against Padres lefty Robbie Ray.
Ahead of the matchup, Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced some notable changes to his starting lineup, one of which involves star infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Yankees Announce Sudden Chisholm Jr. Decision
After appearing in Friday’s game and going 0-for-3 with one strikeout and a walk, Chisholm Jr. won’t start Saturday, with Amed Rosario taking over at second base.
However, Rosario is a usual option against left-handed pitchers. And if Ray exits and a righty enters, Boone will likely turn to Chisholm Jr. as a pinch hitter.
Here’s the full Yankees lineup:
Via Underdog MLB: “Yankees 9/5 P. Goldschmidt 1B C. Bellinger LF A. Rosario 2B B. Rice DH H. Ramos RF G. Lombard Jr. SS S. Jones CF J. Caballero 3B A. Wells C C. Rodón SP.”
Yankees 9/5
P. Goldschmidt 1B
C. Bellinger LF
A. Rosario 2B
B. Rice DH
H. Ramos RF
G. Lombard Jr. SS
S. Jones CF
J. Caballero 3B
A. Wells CC. Rodón SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) September 5, 2026
Chisholm Jr.’s 2026 Season
It’s been a year of ups and downs for the 28-year-old. That said, when he’s at his best, he’s one of the game’s elite players night in and night out.
He enters Saturday night batting .229, which is much improved from where it was at the beginning of last month. Across 454 at-bats, Chisholm Jr. has recorded 68 runs, 104 hits, 19 home runs, 55 RBIs and 40 stolen bases while slugging .403 with a .713 OPS.
Looking at the Yankees
New York is 80-61 as they gear up for Game 2 of the series, putting them second in both the AL East and the American League. They’re trailing the Tampa Bay Rays by 4.0 games in both races.
If the season ended today, the Yankees would host a best-of-three series as the top Wild Card team.
New York Yankees Announce Sudden Jazz Chisholm Jr. Decision During Padres Series