The New York Yankees rolled out a full-strength lineup on Tuesday night against the Minnesota Twins, and it showed. In a 10–9 slugfest where the bullpen nearly let things slip away, the offense carried the night with 16 hits and just four strikeouts. The firepower up and down the order reminded everyone why this team remains dangerous, and at the heart of it was a key adjustment—Jazz Chisholm hitting out of the sixth spot.
Staggering lefties and righties pays off
Manager Aaron Boone had a simple goal: create balance. With Ben Rice batting third, the Yankees could stagger their left-handed and right-handed hitters to avoid predictable stretches in the order. That decision pushed Chisholm down to the sixth spot, where he became a spark for the bottom half of the lineup.
It wasn’t a demotion so much as a tactical shift, and it worked. Chisholm went 2-for-4 with a run scored, part of a game that showcased how effective he can be when the pressure of carrying the top of the order is lifted.
A 30/30 season within reach
Chisholm’s season has been exactly what the Yankees hoped for when they acquired him from the Miami Marlins at last year’s trade deadline. He’s batting .244/.335/.482 with an .817 OPS, 29 home runs, and 30 stolen bases. That puts him just one homer shy of joining the coveted 30/30 club, a milestone that would underline his value as one of the game’s true dual-threat players.
While he’s had minor cold stretches, his ability to provide both power and speed has given the Yankees a different dynamic. He’s the type of player who can flip a game in multiple ways—whether with his bat, his legs, or his glove.
Defensive stability at second base
Chisholm’s return to second base has also stabilized the Yankees’ infield. In 774 innings at the position this year, he’s posted a .975 fielding percentage, along with one defensive run saved, seven outs above average, and four fielding run value. Those numbers reflect a major improvement over the defense the team had at the position in recent seasons with Gleyber Torres.
His range and athleticism not only make routine plays look easy but also turn potential hits into outs, changing the flow of games in subtle but crucial ways.
Depth turns the lineup into a weapon
The Yankees’ depth was on full display against the Twins. Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, Rice, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton—who filled the top half of the order—combined for nine hits and eight RBIs. Add Chisholm’s production at the bottom, and the lineup became relentless from one through nine.
For a team that has struggled at times with production in the lower third of the order, moving Chisholm down adds balance and consistency. He’s had 99 plate appearances in the sixth spot this season and is hitting .310/.384/.575 with a .959 OPS in that role. That’s not just effective—it’s elite.
A perfect fit in the middle
Chisholm’s power-speed combination remains one of the Yankees’ biggest weapons, but his impact has been amplified by Boone’s willingness to adjust. Hitting sixth takes pressure off him to carry the lineup while allowing him to feast on pitchers stretched thin deeper into games.
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For a Yankees team battling to stay atop the American League East, having a player of Chisholm’s caliber thriving in the middle of the order is the kind of advantage that can decide tight division races.