Jazz Chisholm Jr. isn’t going into the Dwelling Run Derby with any grand expectations or daring predictions.
Whereas the Yankees second baseman says he’s “really excited” to be competing in MLB’s annual energy exhibition, Chisholm plans to take care of the measured method on the plate that helped him grow to be an All-Star within the first place.
“I’m just going out there to have fun,” Chisholm mentioned earlier than Friday’s sequence opener in opposition to the Chicago Cubs at Yankee Stadium. “I ain’t trying to think that hard about it. I’m not even gonna really practice for it.”
MLB prolonged the derby invitation to Chisholm through Facetime on Thursday, serving to to fill out an eight-player subject that additionally consists of baseball’s dwelling run chief in Seattle’s Cal Raleigh, in addition to Atlanta’s Matt Olson, who changed teammate Ronald Acuña Jr. (again tightness) on Friday.
Washington’s James Wooden, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, Sacramento’s Brent Rooker and Minnesota’s Byron Buxton are additionally set to compete on the derby on Monday night time at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Chisholm, 27, mentioned his stepfather, Geron Sands, would pitch to him.
“He throws to me all the time. From when I was a kid, he’s been throwing to me,” Chisholm mentioned. “He throws to me every year in the Bahamas derby. It ain’t nothing new to us.”
A second-time All-Star, Chisholm entered Friday with 17 dwelling runs in 223 at-bats.
Requested whom he considers his high derby threats, Chisholm named Cruz, who’s amongst MLB’s leaders in hard-hit charge, common exit velocity and barrel share. Chisholm additionally named Acuña earlier than Olson changed him.
Chisholm missed 5 weeks towards the start of the season with a proper indirect pressure, then sat out of Sunday’s Subway Sequence finale at Citi Discipline for a sore proper shoulder.
However Chisholm doesn’t anticipate the derby to pose any issues for his shoulder.
“It’s never bothered me [when I’m] swinging,” Chisholm mentioned. “I’ve never had a concern about my shoulder. I’ve never used it as an excuse and I’m never gonna use it as an excuse.”
Requested if he had any issues about Chisholm doing the derby given his latest accidents, supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned, “I hope not.”
“He’s playing at a really high level and I think is in a really good place physically, but he has had some things that have slowed him at different times this year,” Boone mentioned. “But at the same time, you don’t want to stand in the way of, sometimes, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Every player ultimately should make that decision.”
Chisholm is certainly one of 4 Yankees headed to the All-Star Sport, together with Aaron Choose, Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. Rodón was named an All-Star on Friday after Fried, who’s scheduled to pitch for the Yankees on Saturday, was faraway from the American League’s lively roster.
The lefty-swinging Chisholm is the primary Yankee to win the Dwelling Run Derby since Choose in 2017. Choose received that derby, making him the fourth Yankee to say the crown.
Earlier this season, Chisholm detailed how taking part in the sport at 70% — and thus not overswinging — has paid dividends.
He expects to convey that very same mentality to the derby.
“I’m just gonna go out there, have fun, 70%, don’t do too much, just hit a couple of homers,” Chisholm mentioned. “Hopefully, I win it by doing that.”
Initially Revealed: July 11, 2025 at 7:03 PM EDT
