As New York Yankees Roll Into Dodger Stadium, They Are Getting Positive Injury News

A common refrain about an injured player returning to a team from an injured list stint, especially as it happens near the trade deadline is how the impending return is like an acquisition.

As the Yankees roll into Dodger Stadium with a different cast than the group who blew a five-run lead in the decisive Game 5 of the World Series on Oct. 30, they may be getting an early version of the statement more commonly stated in July.

This time it involves Jazz Chisholm Jr. and his impending return from an oblique strain. The strain has sidelined him since getting a hit in his only at-bat of a 15-3 win at Baltimore.

Assuming there are no snags with his rehab, Chisholm could return next week for the ALCS rematch with the Cleveland Guardians, who already took two of three from the Yankees April 21-23. Chisholm will return as a .181 hitter thanks to a 7-for-37 but perhaps more importantly for the Yankees is the fact he will likely play third base.

Chisholm played every game at second base before his second injured list stint as a Yankee but he handled third reasonably well as a novice for the final two-plus months and is returning to one of the Yankees’ weakest offensive positions in a lineup that leads the league in runs and homers.

Entering Friday’s game behind a paywall on TV, the Yankees are getting a .187 average and a combined 12 homers and 42 RBI from second base and third base. Last year first base was the massive problem but this year Paul Goldschmidt’s consistency is resulting in a .326 mark.

The Yankees know Chisholm is better than a .180 hitter and will take anything close to the .273 average and .825 OPS in 46 games last season while learning a new position. Chisholm handled the position by posting a .940 field percentage and committing seven errors in 116 chances but his age and athleticism may see upticks in the fielding percentag and give them more mobility there to go along with the potential in higher numbers at the plate.

And besides the 46 games of a sample size at third, the Yankees know Chisholm is up for resuming his role as a Yankee there after a consultation with manager Aaron Boone.

“Boone told me that he wanted me at third base,” Chisholm told reporters after his rehab game on Thursday. “He really wanted me at third base. I’m a team guy, I’m here to win a ring, I’m not here to fight over positions and all that.”

Those comments counter various reports that were circulating around the game about his character and ability to mesh with teammates with the Miami Marlins. Chisholm has fit in seamlessly with the Yankees, who are in a strong position to win the AL East due to their strong record and average performance of the competition.

It also is an indication of the good problem the Yankees will soon be figuring out with Chisholm and other key contributors from their first AL pennant winning roster since 2009.

Giancarlo Stanton is inching closer to returning from tendinitis in both elbows that has shut him down since the opening days of Spring Training.

Luis Gil is slowly getting to the point of throwing off a mound as he recovers from a strained lat. It is his time actually on a mound after his throwing program was delayed earlier this season.

Stanton will return to being a DH, a position where the Yankees are fairly productive. Buoyed by Ben Rice’s improvement matching his strong exit velocity, the Yankees began Friday with a combined .282 and .976 OPS from their designated hitters.

Although he struggled with walks, Gil was still good enough to win Rookie of the Year and whenever he returns he could be returning to a stabilized rotation after some initial struggles in April and one that is holding up well with Gerrit Cole recovering from Tommy John surgery on his elbow.

It is holding up well thanks to Max Fried’s brilliance, Carlos Rodon’s continued improvement, growth of homegrown products of Clarke Schmidt and Will Warren along with the steadiness of former Tampa Bay Rays opener and bulk reliever Ryan Yarbrough.

This is a good time for the Yankees, who are kind of flying under the radar with the Knicks in the Eastern Conference and the Juan Soto discourse. When they start getting players back, it may be even better and similar to trade deadline acquisitions.