Can Yankees Survive Star Infielder Heading to the Injured List?

Overcoming injuries has been a theme for the New York Yankees throughout the 2025 MLB regular season.

They suffered major losses during spring training with starting pitchers Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, along with designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton and projected starting third baseman D.J. LeMahieu all going down with injuries with various timetables for recovery.

Since moving into the regular season, the injuries have not stopped.

Yankees Injury List Continues to Grow

Starting pitching Marcus Stroman went on the injured list right when Clarke was making his return to the rotation and most recently, starting second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. suffered an injury.

He is dealing with an oblique injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for multiple weeks. The versatile Swiss Army knife is hoping to beat the estimated timetable and return sooner, but the Yankees will assuredly exhibit some caution.

They do not want him returning to the lineup before he is ready and re-injuring himself or making things worse. He told reporters he is dealing with three high-grade tears in his oblique.

If Chisholm is back on the field before the beginning of June, it would be a major win for the franchise.

While his .181 batting average leaves something to be desired, but there has been some bad luck involved, and he has been incredibly productive overall for New York thus far this season.

Having to place him on the injured list was named the most impactful in-season move for the Yankees to this point by Chad Jennings of The Athletic (subscription required) and it will be interesting to see how they overcome it.

“Being without their regular second baseman, this would be a fine time for the back of the rotation to step up and ease the burden on the lineup,” he wrote.

Chisholm has provided the team with some excellent power and speed production with seven home runs, three doubles and six stolen bases.

As important as his production at the plate, he is also providing the team with elite defense at second base.

His versatility is something that New York hasn’t taken full advantage of, wanting him to play as much as possible at the keystone. But he more than held his own while learning third base on the fly in 2024 after being acquired in a trade from the Miami Marlins and is a plus defender at shortstop and center field as well.

The Yankees have shown a lot of fortitude overcoming other injuries, but at some point, it will be too much. Is the loss of Chisholm going to be the final straw that breaks the camel’s back?

Jorbit Vivas, Oswald Peraza and Pablo Reyes will have first cracks at replacing Chisholm’s production in the lineup, which is easier said than done.

This could be what drives New York to seek upgrades for their bench if no one steps up and siezes the opportunity.

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