The Yankees entered the final weekend before the 2024 Trade Deadline in desperate need of reinforcements. Their strong start had crumbled since mid-June, leaving them with a record alarmingly close to that of the struggling Chicago White Sox rather than their top rivals.
The starting lineup was in particularly bad shape. Despite scoring seven runs at Fenway on Friday night, only superstars Aaron Judge and Juan Soto were consistently performing at the plate. Alex Verdugo’s performance had plummeted in recent months, Gleyber Torres was enduring a miserable contract year, Anthony Volpe’s hot start in April appeared to be a mirage, Giancarlo Stanton was injured again (along with expected contributors Anthony Rizzo and Jon Berti), and DJ LeMahieu was proving ineffective at third base. While Austin Wells and Ben Rice offered some youthful promise, it was clear something had to change.
The Yankees were never going to give up on the 2024 season so quickly, especially with Soto only guaranteed for one year in pinstripes. Despite their slump, the general mediocrity around the majors kept them in the race, making it worth the effort to go for it given the uncertainty with Soto and the primes of both Judge and Gerrit Cole. Thus, they were obvious buyers at the Trade Deadline and made a deal with an equally obvious seller. The market was tough to navigate with so few teams fully out of contention thanks to the third Wild Card spot, but the Yankees managed to make a move.
According to multiple sources, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is moving from the Marlins to the Yankees in exchange for three prospects.
We’ll have more details on this trade soon. It’s somewhat surprising given that the Yankees were previously reported to have concerns about Chisholm’s character, although former and now-current hitting coach James Rowson vouched for him. Chisholm has a history of injuries but was an All-Star in 2022 and has been fully healthy in 2024. This season, the lefty has hit .249/.323/.407 with 14 doubles, 13 homers, 22 stolen bases, a 101 OPS+, and 1.3 rWAR. He has primarily played center field for Miami in recent seasons but recently shifted back to the infield, likely to showcase his versatility ahead of the trade.
As SNY’s Andy Martino pointed out, it’s unclear where exactly Chisholm will fit in with the Yankees. His presence could potentially jeopardize the roles of Verdugo, Torres, and even LeMahieu, although LeMahieu has never played the hot corner.
Chisholm is under contract through the end of the 2026 season, giving the Yankees a few years to evaluate his performance and potential fit. If he doesn’t replace Torres at second base now, he might well do so next year, as Torres is likely to leave the team.
While losing a prospect like Agustin Ramirez is a blow, Wells has secured his position as the long-term catcher. Ramirez, who was in a similar “C/1B” role as Rice, was not seen as a standout receiver. With his outstanding year and rising status as a potential Top 100 prospect, trading him now makes sense if he wasn’t in the Yankees’ long-term plans.
This trade is likely just the beginning for the Yankees. If this ends up being their only move, it could be problematic. However, it’s a modest first step in their strategy.
**Update**: Here’s the full trade.
