Jazz Chisholm Jr. has few answers for season-long woes — but doesn’t think taking a seat will help

Jazz Chisholm Jr. wavered between downcast and confident that his season from hell would turn around in its final six weeks following a rancid day at the plate against the Mariners, but one solution the Yankees infielder didn’t want to entertain was sitting on the bench for a few days. 

“I don’t think that would help,” Chisholm said Thursday after striking out three times, including for the last out in a 1-0 loss to the Mariners. “That’s the only way I know how to get through anything is to keep going through it. I feel like to sit and just sit on it is not a good move either.” 

Chisholm was pinch hit for against a lefty last Friday against the Braves, and though the Yankees could look for similar opportunities to do so, he doesn’t like that idea either. 

“My numbers are better [compared to last season] against lefties,” he said. “I don’t think — like, why.” 

Chisholm’s batting average is similar against lefties and righties, but his OPS is nearly 90 points lower against left-handed pitching.

The Yankees have also built some right-handed depth after trading for Heliot Ramos, who pinch hit for Spencer Jones in the eighth inning Thursday. 

As for how to fix his own season-long hitting woes — his .687 OPS is down massively from his .813 mark a year ago, as are most of his numbers — Chisholm sounded out of ideas.

New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) strikes out swinging to end the game when the New York Yankees played the Seattle Mariners Thursday, August 13, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post

When it was put to him that he has a 40 percent whiff rate against breaking pitches, Chisholm replied, “I’m at a 40 percent whiff rate on every pitch right now.” 

“Missing fastballs down the middle. Missing sliders down the middle. I can’t tell you why,” he said. “Or else I would be hitting.” 

Chisholm said he’s talked to Paul Goldschmidt a couple of times about the pressure of being a pending free agent, but claimed that’s not weighing on him so much as his struggles are in general. 

Given the Yankees’ bigger-picture hitting issues, which were at the forefront again Thursday, the club desperately needs Chisholm to solve what’s ailing him sooner rather than later. 

“I feel like overall, he’s making good swing decisions,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s not chasing. There’s some patience in there. But probably, whether it’s just missing, maybe a foul off, maybe swinging through more pitches than he’s used to, just hasn’t gone on that hot streak at any point.” 

New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) reacts after he strikes out swinging. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

That might be coming, Chisholm said. Although, whether he truly believes it is probably an open question. 

“Forty-one good games can turn a season around. And that’s what I’m planning on doing,” he said. “… I feel like mentally, I’m not defeated. So if I was mentally defeated, I think it would have been a different story in my eyes, but I’m not. I feel like I’m still as good as I am.”