Jazz Chisholm Jr. is close to coming off the injured list, and his return is about to complicate the Yankees’ infield picture just as the regular season winds down.
Chisholm, recovering from a right thumb sprain, could be activated as soon as Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays. The roster move itself is straightforward — Max Schuemann is expected to come off the roster — but where everyone plays afterward is far less clear.
Chisholm got hurt diving into second base on Sept. 8. In his absence, the Yankees called up Anthony Volpe to get reps at second base, a position he had largely shifted to at Triple-A. Volpe made the most of the opportunity. Over 10 games since being recalled, he has started at second base nine times, with José Caballero starting the other game, batting .286 with a .753 OPS and stealing four bases.
Whether that stretch was enough to earn Volpe regular at-bats once Chisholm is back remains unsettled. Before his call-up, Volpe — a natural shortstop — had also begun taking reps at third base, starting three games there. Asked whether third base could be an option for Volpe once Chisholm returns, manager Aaron Boone was noncommittal.
“We’ll see,” Boone said. “First things first, getting Jazz back and then we’ll figure it out as the week unfolds how I want to play it.”
Third base has been a soft spot in the Yankees’ lineup much of the year. Ryan McMahon, who returned from his own thumb sprain on Sept. 1, has managed just 6-for-40 (.150) with a .402 OPS since coming back, and Caballero started at third over him on Sunday against a right-hander. Amed Rosario has often gotten the nod at third against left-handed pitching; his production hasn’t matched his career norms, but the club still believes it will come around.
Another option for Boone would be platooning Volpe and Chisholm at second base. Chisholm, a left-handed hitter, is batting just .221 with a .654 OPS against lefties this season. Still, the pending free agent had been heating up before his injury, hitting .391 with a 1.028 OPS over his final 15 games prior to getting hurt in what has otherwise been a disappointing season for him.
Where — or whether — Volpe fits on the postseason roster is just one of several decisions the Yankees must sort out in the final week of the regular season.
“You know it’s going to take a lot of players and a lot of people when you get to spring training and the season unfolds,” Boone said. “We’ll have hopefully some tough decisions to make when we’re setting postseason rosters and things like that. But that’s a better problem to have.”
Bullpen questions loom too
Clarke Schmidt was expected to see the team doctor early this week after experiencing biceps cramping while warming up Sunday, an issue that kept him out of that game. Schmidt had just returned from Tommy John surgery and is trying to earn a spot in the playoff bullpen.
Ryan Weathers, sidelined by a left forearm flexor strain, could also factor into a postseason bullpen role. But the left-hander first needs to face hitters this week to show the Yankees he can step into playoff action despite not having pitched in a game since getting hurt on Aug. 22.
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