Jazz Chisholm Jr. will step into the spotlight Monday night as the Yankees’ latest entrant in the Home Run Derby. He’ll be the seventh different Yankee to compete in the event — and just the 10th overall appearance for the franchise.
That history might sound impressive, but the list of winners is surprisingly short.
Only four Yankees have ever won the Derby:
- Tino Martinez (1997)
- Jason Giambi (2002)
- Robinson Cano (2011)
- Aaron Judge (2017)
That’s it. For a team known for its big bats, the Yankees have rarely finished on top at the Derby.
Giancarlo Stanton never won it in pinstripes. Gary Sanchez made some noise in 2017 but didn’t reach the final. Nick Swisher took a shot in 2010. Even Judge, who put on one of the most dominant performances the Derby has ever seen, only did it once. He later needed shoulder surgery, and while he’s never blamed the Derby outright, he hasn't been back since.
Which makes Chisholm’s appearance feel a little different.
He’s not the obvious pick. He’s not even leading the Yankees in homers. But he’s explosive. He’s got flair. And he doesn’t shy away from the spotlight.
Considering that he missed a month with an oblique injury, maybe a win is CHisholm just getting out of Monday night healthy and without changing his swing.
Just being picked puts him in a small group of Yankees. If he wins? He joins an even smaller club — and becomes maybe the most unexpected Derby champ the Yankees have ever had.
He’s got the showmanship for it. Now we’ll see if the swing shows up too.
-1750095022-q80.webp "Dodgers' Roki Sasaki not guaranteed to return this season")
