Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Thriving Despite Playing at “70 Percent”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. continues to shine for the New York Yankees, even though he’s not operating at full capacity. In Friday night’s 9-6 win over the Boston Red Sox, Chisholm went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer and an RBI single, totaling four RBIs on the night. His performance helped the Yankees get off to a strong start in their weekend series, even as they dealt with the early exit of Anthony Volpe due to injury.
Since returning from a stint on the injured list that sidelined him for over a month, Chisholm has been on fire at the plate. In just four games (16 at-bats), he’s recorded eight hits, two home runs, and six RBIs. This is a stark contrast from his poor start to the season, when he was struggling to make an impact.
According to Chisholm, the secret to his recent success is a simple but surprising strategy — playing at about 70 percent effort.
“Just go at 70 percent. That’s what’s been working,” Chisholm said after Friday’s game. “At 70 percent, I’m one of the best out there. At 100 percent, I was hitting .171. So we’ll stick with 70.”
He explained that this approach helps him stay healthy and more consistent — swinging less and making better contact. So far, it’s hard to argue with the results.
Chisholm has shown versatility and value even when struggling earlier this season, thanks to his defense and occasional power. But now that he’s hitting like a star again at age 27, he could be in line for a bigger role in the Yankees’ lineup — though he’s been very productive batting fifth or sixth, so the team may opt to keep things as they are.
