NFL
By Billy Lewis:
The 2024 MLB Trade Deadline is now behind us and the New York Yankees were fairly active. Deadline Tuesday the Yankees were looking to bolster the bullpen by acquiring Mark Leiter Jr from the Cubs and Enyel De Los Santos from the Padres. They also traded away lefty Caleb Ferguson to the Astros for minor league pitcher Kelly Austin and international bonus pool money.
However, the biggest trade the Yankees made came down on Saturday. They traded three minor leaguers, headlined by catcher Agustin Ramirez, to the Marlins for Jazz Chisholm Jr. Chisholm Jr, broke into the Majors as a second baseman before moving to center field last season.
Chisholm Jr made his Yankee debut on Sunday Night Baseball in Fenway Park as a centerfielder. The Yankees have made it clear though that they will use Jazz in the infield. Giancarlo Stanton was activated off the IL before Monday’s game in Philadelphia so the Yankees will utilize their outfield at the beginning of the season with Alex Verdugo, Aaron Judge, and Juan Soto going from left to right.
To make room for Chisholm Jr in the infield the Yankees are having him play a position he never had in the Major Leagues, third base.
The Yankees are going to have to hope these moves are enough to put them over the top. After a hot start to the season, the Bronx Bombers have been sizzling out since the middle of June.
If there was ever a season to go all-in for the Yankees it is 2024, they only guaranteed a season of Juan Soto in Pinstripes.
They were rumored to be going after Jack Flaherty of the Tigers. Flaherty would have been a perfect rotation piece to put behind Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil. However, the Yankees lost out when Flaherty was moved to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Yankee Trades Paying Immediate Dividends
Since coming over from Miami Chisholm Jr finished off the series against the Red Sox and has played third base for the first two games against the Phillies. Jazz got his first Yankee hit Sunday in Fenway and down in Philadelphia collected his first home run.
Jazz wouldn’t stop there as he hit four home runs in the first two games of the Phillies series. Having two multi-home run games in his first three Yankee games in an incredible feat. He is the only player ever to have two multi-home run games within his first three for a team!
Jazz Chisholm is the 2nd player with 4 HR in his first 3 games with ANY franchise, joining 2016 Trevor Story
Chisholm is the first with 2 multi-HR games in his first 3 games with ANY franchise https://t.co/VWBjwJdNxl
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) July 31, 2024
Mark Leiter Jr, also saw himself have an impact Tuesday in Philadelphia pitching a scoreless tenth inning. The Yankees ended up winning in 12 innings.
If Chisholm Jr can hold his own at third base, he will certainly help lengthen the Yankees lineup, especially when he can show off his speed. While the 2024 Trade Deadline didn’t bring any big blockbuster trades to the Bronx, Brian Cashman is going to have to hope it was enough to break the 15-year Pennant drought.
