Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 18

Jazz Chisholm Jr. Says Knicks' 53-Year Title Parade Fueled Yankees' World Series Push

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 18

Jazz Chisholm Jr. Says Knicks' 53-Year Title Parade Fueled Yankees' World Series Push

Q: Is Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s slump a bigger threat to the Yankees' title hopes than Aaron Judge's injury?

No. Aaron Judge’s injury is the bigger threat to the Yankees’ title hopes. The clearest reason is scale. Judge is not just slumping or limited; he is out with a stress fracture in his right first rib and has not been cleared for baseball activities. That removes the Yankees’ captain, three-time MVP and most dangerous hitter from the lineup entirely. Even if he remains active as a clubhouse leader, that does not replace his production on the field. Chisholm’s slump matters, especially with Judge sidelined. His 2026 numbers have dipped sharply to .222/.298/.352 with four homers and 12 steals, and his June average fell to .177 before a modest July rebound. Aaron Boone has said Chisholm needs to “come alive” in Judge’s absence, which shows how important he is to the current lineup. But a slumping player can still help in other ways, and Chisholm has continued to provide speed, defense and occasional power, including a recent go-ahead homer. Judge’s absence is harder to absorb because it changes the entire shape of the offense. The Yankees were already leaning heavily on him, and the team’s title path almost certainly requires him back and productive by late season. Chisholm returning to form would raise the Yankees’ ceiling, but Judge’s health determines whether that ceiling is truly championship level. So Chisholm’s slump is a real concern, but Judge’s injury is the more serious threat.

2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 18

Jazz Chisholm Jr. said the Knicks' championship parade sharpened his determination to win a World Series with the Yankees in the second half of the 2026 season.
Talks with Knicks players — including Jalen Brunson — made that goal feel more tangible, Chisholm said, after hearing them describe the emotion of ending New York's 53-year NBA title drought.
The Yankees open the second half Friday against the Dodgers, who beat them in five games in the 2024 World Series, after closing the pre-break stretch with four straight wins.
Aaron Judge remains out with a rib injury and has not resumed baseball activities, but Chisholm said the three-time MVP is still traveling, leading in the clubhouse and lifting morale.
For New York, the chase carries extra weight: the Yankees are seeking their first World Series title since 2009, and Chisholm said he wants to be on a parade float next.