The New York Yankees were dealt a significant blow last week when Jazz Chisholm Jr. exited a game against the Baltimore Orioles with “flank discomfort.” That was later revealed to be a high-grade strain of Chisholm’s oblique, which came as a surprise to the former All-Star.

“I’m very surprised,” Chisholm told NJ.com. “This is the second time I’ve had an oblique [and] this feels completely different from the first one. For me, I was super surprised when I saw the results.”

Chisholm’s initial hopes for a swift return are out the window, but there’s always a chance he can “beat the timeline,” as Yankees manager Aaron Boone puts it. He cites Chisholm’s “history of healing well,” which could put the talented second baseman ahead of the 4-to-6 week curve this injury typically requires.

While the Yankees would surely love to get Chisholm back in the lineup as soon as possible, Boone needs to proceed with caution. Chisholm is too important to the Yankees’ future, well beyond the next few weeks, to risk rushing him back for short-term gains. Even if he says he’s fine, which Chisholm almost certainly will before the four weeks are up.

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Aaron Boone, Yankees need to protect Jazz Chisholm Jr. from his own competitive spirit

Unfortunately, injuries have played a major role in Chisholm’s career to date. He has eclipsed 100 games played just twice in five MLB seasons, including the 2024 campaign. For all of Chisholm’s remarkable talent and outlier athleticism, he is prone to accumulating various bumps and bruises — or tears and strains.

The Yankees need to protect their investment. Chisholm is under contract through next season, then he hits the open market. We have to assume New York wants him back, even if the asking price creeps up toward nine figures. If the Yankees plan on cementing Chisholm as a long-term staple, then it behooves them to act with the utmost caution. It’s too early in the season to be rushing anyone back from injury, especially not a player with Chisholm’s history.

New York is in first place. The holes in Brian Cashman’s roster become more apparent with each passing game, but the Yankees should be able to tread water while Chisholm rests and rehabs. Oswaldo Cabrera and Jorbit Vivas have stepped into elevated roles with Chisholm (and D.J. LeMahieu) out. Neither is performing well, but Aaron Judge, Ben Rice and Trent Grisham appear capable of dragging this lineup to respectability.

It may take a while for the Yankees to get fully healthy. LeMahieu’s return is right around the corner, but Giancarlo Stanton is weeks from his season debut. Still, so long as New York can keep its head above water long enough to get healthy for October, that is enough. There’s no need for Chisholm to sidetrack his whole season — and potentially his Yankees career writ large — because the team drops a couple of games in May. The MLB season is a marathon, not a sprint.