MLB WORLD SERIES: YANKEES VS DODGERS

October 26, 2024

Jazz Chisholm

Dodger Stadium

New York Yankees

Pregame 2 Press Conference

Q. Yesterday Aaron said, in talking about you, that maybe less could be a little more, and you go on to have two hits, big game last night. Did you feel like you were trying to do too much? Is there anything you changed going into yesterday?

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: I would just say I worked on my hitting a little bit with the hitting coaches over the little break that we had. Feel pretty good after working on a couple mechanics.

Q. Anything in particular you changed?

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: Just keeping my hands closer to me. I think my hands were getting away from me, and it was making me pull off the ball a lot. I think even in my first two at-bats yesterday, my hands still got away from me. Just cleaned it up in the last three.

Q. You had quite the night on the base pads. What's your attitude out there in terms of base to base, what you're thinking, what advantage you can bring when you're running?

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: I feel like I'm in scoring position if I'm on first base. I don't think about steals being the only way I can score, you know. Ball hitting the gap going from first base, just being able to keep on going and reading the ball and reading the play, keeping everybody on their feet, making sure everybody's awake out there.

Q. Before coming to the Yankees, you hadn't played third base on any level before. What do you feel like has allowed you to have the success you've had at that position?

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: I played shortstop my whole career before I got to the Big Leagues and a little bit in the Big Leagues as well. I think outfield was the first time I really felt like not as comfortable as I can feel on a baseball field. But moving back into the infield, I feel as comfortable as I've always been in the infield.

Q. Jazz, where do your base running skills come from? Were you always stealing bases when you were a kid growing up? Would you credit any coach?

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: Yeah, I was always stealing bases as a kid growing up. But just watching the game, seeing the way other players move, the way they pitch, the way the catchers move, the position players move when it's not a pickoff or something like that.

It's just watching everybody's overall game. You could even see -- you could even peek in the outfield with the PitchCom nowadays, they tell you when to pick off -- when they're picking off. Some guys get a little bit lazier, so you already know they're picking off. Some guys try to get a little antsy to make you -- you know.

It's just reading the game, reading the guys' personalities and what they do on the field.

Q. When they changed the stolen base rules, the disengagements and all that stuff, did you have a feeling that the stolen base would kind of explode the way it has, or are you a bit surprised at how big a part of it's been and how successful guys have been on the base pads?

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: I felt like it was going to be a difference because now you have slower guys that are going to steal bases now because it's less pickoffs. Some guys pick off like twice, once. Whenever now a guy can get a bigger lead and he's gone.

Yeah, I feel like it's changed the game, but I feel like it made it a lot more funner. I think catchers are enjoying the game a little bit more because they're trying to throw guys out. I feel like it's just enjoyment for everybody. Bigger guys, slower guys get to try to steal bags now. They're having fun out there. So I think it's cool.

Q. Is it a little bit it keeps pitchers honest. They're so nasty, it's a little more for you guys?

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: Sure, everybody's throwing 100 now, so you've got to give us something, you know.

Q. What are the vibes like back in the Bahamas now with all your boys in terms of your home nation seeing you doing this on such a big stage?

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: They've been in and out during the playoffs. They've been flying in, flying out. A couple of them are super busy. But I think the vibes have been great, man, especially playing for the Yankees. This is who we used to watch as kids. So like everybody's just like geeking out.

They see Judge in person, and they're like, Bro, it's Judge. It's kind of school. It's super cool.

Q. Jazz, you talked about playing for the Yankees, playing Yankee Stadium, the atmosphere. How would you describe that atmosphere last night?

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: It was sick. It was a good atmosphere. I feel like the crowd was rocking, the stadium was rocking. If you're a baseball fan, you really enjoyed that game last night. It was a good game. I enjoyed being a part of that game.

Man, it was super cool. I feel like it's pretty close to Yankee Stadium, if you ask me.

Q. Jazz, what has made the Yankees a comfortable fit for you?

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: I feel like as a kid, and even as a professional baseball player, that before you play for the Yankees, you think it's really like super strict. But you really can be yourself as a Yankee. You've just got to do it the right way and the professional way.

I feel like I've always been like that, doing it the professional way. It's just that I think now that I'm with the Yankees, people see it like, okay, if he's not getting in trouble, he's more professional because he's with the Yankees. But I'm still doing the exact same thing I used to do with the Marlins. I think they're just letting me be me and enjoying the moment and every moment that I'm a Yankee.

Q. Did you see something in Treinen's delivery that let you take off with such ease for third base there in the tenth?

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: Like I said, I study players, I study pitchers. Running is a part of my game. So like I said, I've been watching Treinen since I was a Marlin, playing against him as a Marlin. So I've seen him a lot of times. I've been on base a couple times.

I just read his game. He knows how I play, so I just try to change it up, see how it was going, and it just went the right way.

Q. What allows this team to come back from a gut punch loss like last night?

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: I think we've been doing it all year. I feel like nothing has changed between us in our clubhouse. We still feel like we've got this in the bag, not like -- how would I say? Not cocky, but we feel confident in ourselves to go out there and win four games.

For me, I just feel like we're going to go out there and play baseball. We're enjoying the moment just as much as them. After that loss, I don't feel like the clubhouse was quiet. We were talking amongst each other and saying, hey, that was a fun baseball game. Let's go do it again tomorrow, but let's come out on top tomorrow. So it's amazing.

Q. Have you reached out to Miguel Rojas, or have you guys connected at all with him being on the other side?

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: No.

Q. Do you feel like that's part of the past now, or is that something --

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.: Like I said, I have nothing about it. I go out there, I play baseball, and I'm enjoying baseball. Nothing more, nothing less.