Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. 'really excited' for Home Run Derby, not concerned about shoulder

Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News on Jul 11, 2025

Published in Baseball

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NEW YORK — Jazz Chisholm Jr. isn’t going into the Home Run Derby with any grand expectations or bold predictions.

While the Yankees second baseman says he’s “really excited” to be competing in MLB’s annual power exhibition, Chisholm plans to maintain the measured approach at the plate that helped him become an All-Star in the first place.

“I’m just going out there to have fun,” Chisholm said before Friday’s series opener against the Chicago Cubs at Yankee Stadium. “I ain’t trying to think that hard about it. I’m not even gonna really practice for it.”

MLB extended the derby invitation to Chisholm via Facetime on Thursday, helping to fill out an eight-player field that also includes baseball’s home run leader in Seattle’s Cal Raleigh, as well as Atlanta’s Matt Olson, who replaced teammate Ronald Acuña Jr. (back tightness) on Friday.

Washington’s James Wood, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, Sacramento’s Brent Rooker and Minnesota’s Byron Buxton are also set to compete at the derby on Monday night at Truist Park in Atlanta.

Chisholm, 27, said his stepfather, Geron Sands, would pitch to him.

“He throws to me all the time. From when I was a kid, he’s been throwing to me,” Chisholm said. “He throws to me every year in the Bahamas derby. It ain’t nothing new to us.”

A second-time All-Star, Chisholm entered Friday with 17 home runs in 223 at-bats.

Asked whom he considers his top derby threats, Chisholm named Cruz, who is among MLB’s leaders in hard-hit rate, average exit velocity and barrel percentage. Chisholm also named Acuña before Olson replaced him.

Chisholm missed five weeks toward the beginning of the season with a right oblique strain, then sat out of Sunday’s Subway Series finale at Citi Field for a sore right shoulder.

But Chisholm doesn’t expect the derby to pose any problems for his shoulder.

“It’s never bothered me [when I’m] swinging,” Chisholm said. “I’ve never had a concern about my shoulder. I’ve never used it as an excuse and I’m never gonna use it as an excuse.”

Asked if he had any concerns about Chisholm doing the derby given his recent injuries, manager Aaron Boone said, “I hope not.”

“He’s playing at a really high level and I think is in a really good place physically, but he has had some things that have slowed him at different times this year,” Boone said. “But at the same time, you don’t want to stand in the way of, sometimes, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Every player ultimately should make that decision.”

Chisholm is one of four Yankees headed to the All-Star Game, along with Aaron Judge, Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. Rodón was named an All-Star on Friday after Fried, who is scheduled to pitch for the Yankees on Saturday, was removed from the American League’s active roster.

The lefty-swinging Chisholm is the first Yankee to win the Home Run Derby since Judge in 2017. Judge won that derby, making him the fourth Yankee to claim the crown.

Earlier this season, Chisholm detailed how playing the game at 70% — and thus not overswinging — has paid dividends.

He expects to bring that same mentality to the derby.

“I’m just gonna go out there, have fun, 70 percent, don’t do too much, just hit a couple of homers,” Chisholm said. “Hopefully, I win it by doing that.”