Jazz Chisholm Jr. isn’t backing down from his support of Rafael Devers as the Yankees prepare for a weekend series against their division rivals.
The Yankees star made his thoughts crystal clear on Devers’ ongoing position battle with the Red Sox. “I believe if you’re promised your position, you should go play the position you were promised,” Chisholm told The Athletic. “That’s what he worked on his whole career. You can’t go back on it.”
It’s a fascinating take from someone who’s been more than willing to shift around the diamond for his own team.
Chisholm moved from second base to third when the Yankees acquired him in a trade last year. This season, he started at second before moving back to third to make room for DJ LeMahieu. But he sees Devers’ situation as completely different.
“His situation, it’s completely different than mine,” Chisholm added.
Red Sox Drama Continues
The timing couldn’t be more pointed. The Yankees have won eight of their last nine series after handling the Cleveland Guardians, while Boston sits in fourth place in the AL East with a losing record.
What started as a promising offseason for the Red Sox has turned into a mess of positioning drama. After acquiring Alex Bregman, they moved Devers to full-time designated hitter – a role he initially refused. Then Triston Casas went down with a season-ending injury, and the team asked Devers to shift to first base.
He’s continued to refuse that move too.
The Red Sox reloaded around win-now talent over the winter, but injuries, production setbacks and some bad luck have derailed their plans. The Devers positioning saga has become the most visible symbol of their struggles.
From Chisholm’s perspective, it’s about honoring commitments. He’s shown flexibility because his situation involved new opportunities with a new team. But he clearly sees Devers as someone who shouldn’t have to compromise on promises the organization made.
The weekend series should provide an interesting backdrop for these comments to play out on the field.
