Jazz Chisholm Jr. represented the New York Yankees and the American League in Monday night's Home Run Derby. On paper, it was a great setting for him — a lefty-friendly ballpark where his swing translates. But every Derby contestant alters their swing a little bit to maximize pop and power. Every Derby contestant except Chisholm, apparently.
It was a bad night for the Yankees All-Star. Chisholm only hit three home runs in the allotted time, including bonus swings. He ended up with a lot of groundballs and just did not look comfortable in the unique environment of the Derby. Afterward, rather than laughing about it and accepting defeat, Chisholm brought out the excuses. Apparently he was just playing the long game.
Chisholm told reporters he was trying to "keep his swing," rather than risk messing up his rhythm with Derby-specific changes. Fair enough, but come on dude. Don't accept a spot if you aren't going to show up with the intent to win. Or, if this is all just cover for a bad performance... just take the L and stand on it.
Jazz says he was trying to “keep his swing” instead of trying to hit homers every swing, and says he’d do the Derby again next year with that different approach if he has 20 homers at the break pic.twitter.com/y2t5HIxGog
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 15, 2025
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Jazz Chisholm Jr. has lamest excuse possible for HR Derby stinker
Chisholm is one of the best personalities in baseball. It has been an up and down season for the Yankees, but he's a light in the dark — both in terms of his performance and his aura, to keep with the lingo of today's kids. Chisholm wears the flashy belts, the custom cleats. He carries himself in a way very few Yankees stars do or ever have. So it was great when he received the invite to participate in an event like the Derby. It felt like an opportune setting for Chisholm to pimp a few home runs and make the most of the extra cameras in his vicinity. Alas, things did not go his way.
The desire to "keep his swing" is not unique to Chisholm. There are documented examples of players who enter the All-Star break red hot, jack up their swing for the Derby, and then take weeks if not months to re-adjust over the second half of the season. But those examples are fairly isolated and Chisholm already puts the ball in the air a lot, so this excuse feels a bit flimsy from a distance.
Will MLB let Jazz Chisholm Jr. take another stab at the HR Derby?
He did say, however, that he would do the Derby again next season and change his swing if he enters the break with 20 home runs. I'm just not sure he gets another invite after this performance.
MLB only gets eight slots to fill and as entertaining as Chisholm is, nobody enjoys watching a groundball contest in the middle of the Home Run Derby. So why risk another stinker just because he claims he will change his swing? Also, Chisholm's career high for home runs in a season is 24. He has 17 right now, a career-high at the break. So we can't exactly bank on him coming into the 2026 All-Star break with 20 moonshots to his name.
Chisholm is a grade-A entertainer and there are far more important things in baseball than winning the Derby, but this felt like his one chance to show out on this stage. He did not take advantage.