New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. is off to a slow start at the plate this season, and he thinks the reasons for it are outside of his control.
Chisholm was hitting just .170 entering play Saturday, but was not worried about his numbers. The second baseman said he wasn’t hitting because the weather has been too cold.
“It’s cold. It’s literally all it is,” Chisholm said, via Bill Ladson of MLB.com. “My swing feels great. When you step into that cold weather and you stand there a couple of innings, your body starts to freeze.
“I’m not using that as an excuse. I said the same thing last year. As soon as the weather heats up, I heat up. That’s what it is. I can’t explain why. It’s not like I’m not trying. I’m definitely trying. … It’s hard to function when you can’t feel the bat.”
Chisholm’s comments may sound like an excuse, but he has a point about his previous numbers. He hit just .157 through the first 22 games of 2025, but recovered to hit .242 by the end of the season. Of course, he went 0-for-4 Friday while playing indoors at Tropicana Field, so that does not quite hold up in every game, but he might really just hate the cold.
That said, even if one sympathizes, it’s hard to imagine any team paying Chisholm what he wants if he’s going to be a non-entity at the plate until spring temperatures kick in.
