The New York Yankees sit at 66-52 and hold a solid spot atop the American League wild-card standings while staying within reach of the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East race. Yet the club hardly looks the part of a contender these days, largely because several key contributors remain sidelined and others who are available have gone quiet at the plate.
Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have been out for weeks, leaving the lineup short on proven power. In their absence, the Yankees have leaned on players expected to step up. Instead, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. and center fielder Trent Grisham have struggled mightily, drawing sharp criticism and calls for reduced roles.
Joel Sherman, a longtime Yankees columnist for the New York Post, has placed much of the blame for the team’s offensive slide since late June on the pair. He argues that both have surrendered any automatic claim to everyday playing time and should sit more often.
The two, he wrote, have “cratered in what is now a seven-plus-week offensive malaise.”
Chisholm, an All-Star a year ago, is hitting just .216 with a .295 on-base percentage and .396 slugging percentage this season, numbers that rank among the worst of his career. Grisham, who belted 34 home runs and posted an .811 OPS last year while preparing for free agency, has seen his production drop sharply. He is batting .213 with a .699 OPS and 13 home runs.
Recent form has been even more concerning for a Yankees team desperate for runs. Over his past 34 games, Chisholm is hitting .183 with a .599 OPS. Grisham has managed only a .162 average and .556 OPS across his last 31 contests.
Sherman noted that neither player has stood out defensively either. With the offense already struggling, he suggested the Yankees would be better served emphasizing defense and exploring alternatives once the injured stars return.
In a scathing column, he wrote: “Grisham and Chisholm have lost the right to be in the lineup every day. (Aaron) Boone has to feel that is the right choice, not the rote choice to start them. And if neither is going to hit enough, the Yankees should think about doubling down on run prevention. José Caballero is a better second baseman than this version of Chisholm. I think Spencer Jones looks sounder in center field than this version of Grisham — there certainly is a more lively body and better arm.”
Chisholm has acknowledged the difficult stretch. He is currently mired in a 2-for-26 skid and expressed frustration after a four-pitch strikeout in the ninth inning of a 1-1 game against Atlanta on Sunday that headed to extra innings.
“It’s super frustrating, especially when it’s such a close game and going into extras. It just sucks,” Chisholm said.
Critics have questioned his focus at times, with Sherman describing him as distracted. Chisholm, however, insisted he continues working hard and remains determined to break out of the funk.
“It’s super frustrating when you know your abilities and you go out there and you go in the cage and work every day, and it’s just not coming together in the game,” he said. “You just gotta keep on going and push through it.”
Manager Aaron Boone has stuck with both players through the rough patch so far, but the mounting pressure and dwindling production could force lineup changes soon. With the postseason still within reach and the division race tight, the Yankees can ill afford prolonged silence from key pieces of their everyday group.
The club’s overall record masks the recent offensive inconsistency that has made winning games more difficult. Opposing pitchers have exploited the holes left by the injured stars and the cold bats of those filling in. Fans and analysts alike have grown restless as the calendar advances deeper into August.
Whether Boone heeds the calls to sit Chisholm and Grisham more frequently remains to be seen. For now, both continue searching for answers while the Yankees try to stay competitive without their full complement of talent.
The coming days and weeks will test the patience of the organization and its supporters. Consistent production from the middle of the diamond and the outfield will be essential if New York hopes to solidify its playoff position and make a serious push in the AL East.
