New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. has taken the baseball world by storm during the early part of the season.
It isn’t for the eye-catching jewelry or custom cleats and gloves that he showcases every time he takes the field.
This time, it was for his customized bat.
Chisholm and the Yankees gained a lot of attention during their season-opening series against the Milwaukee Brewers for the torpedo bats the team used.
They may look odd at first glance, with more wood being placed in the middle of the barrel to create what looks like a torpedo, but the design is supposed to help make hitting the sweet spot even more beneficial.
It certainly looked to be helping Chisholm in the early going.
He went 5-for-12 in the three-game series with three home runs and six RBI. Overall, the team launched 15 long balls in three games, including nine in one contest, taking full advantage of a bad Brewers game plan.
On Tuesday, against the Arizona Diamondbacks, they made history, as the torpedo bats are gaining traction around the league.
That hot start is exactly what the Yankees needed, especially with designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton missing from the middle of the order as he deals with painful injuries to both of his elbows.
Since being acquired from the Miami Marlins ahead of the trade deadline last year, Chisholm has been one of the most productive hitters in baseball.
He has played in 50 games with New York, making 209 plate appearances and producing an impressive .276/.330/.531 slash line with 14 home runs, seven doubles and 29 RBI. 18 stolen bases have been added, as he is a dynamic playmaker in every facet of the game.
With a 139 OPS+, Chisholm is one of the X-factors in the team’s lineup as protection for reigning American League MVP, Aaron Judge.
If he can continue that pace, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report believes a spot in the AL All-Star starting lineup will be earned by the Yankees star.
Chisholm is predicted to be starting alongside Judge, who is off to another torrid start and could probably be penned into the All-Star lineup at this point.
The only thing that would keep him out of the mix is an injury, since he is cementing his status as arguably the best hitter on the planet.
Should he make the AL All-Star team, it would be the second time in his career that Chisholm was selected for the Midsummer Classic.
He made the National League All-Star Team as a reserve in 2022, representing the Marlins.