NEW YORK (AP) — Oversized uniform pants have become the latest fashion statement during what some are calling the Yankees’ Jazz Age.
As Jazz Chisholm Jr. positioned himself in the batter’s box, hoping to keep his hit in fair territory, the fabric of his loose-fitting pinstriped trousers hung loosely around him. The New York Yankees second baseman has adopted an unusual strategy to escape his early-season struggles: wearing Giancarlo Stanton’s uniform pants and swinging José Caballero’s bat.
The extremely wide trousers, reminiscent of Oxford Bags from 1920s Britain, might catch on if Chisholm continues his hot streak.
“My teammates love ’em,” Chisholm said following his go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh inning that propelled the Yankees to a 7-6 victory over Toronto on Monday night. “I hear a lot of fans on the road talk about it but at home guys like it.”
After an All-Star campaign last season featuring 31 home runs, 80 RBIs and 31 stolen bases, Chisholm struggled to find his power stroke this year, not connecting for his first homer until April 23. His batting average dropped to .200 during last week’s series in Baltimore.
The 28-year-old Chisholm, listed at 5-foot-11 and 184 pounds, had initially been wearing the roomier pants belonging to 221-pound teammate Trent Grisham. When he couldn’t locate a pair of Grisham’s pants last Wednesday in Baltimore, he made a change.
“I went to Big G’s pants, and the balls were coming off hot,” Chisholm said.
Sporting the much larger uniform bottoms of the 6-foot-6, 245-pound Stanton, Chisholm collected a double that day. He then went 7 for 12 while wearing Stanton’s oversized pants during the Subway Series against the New York Mets at Citi Field over the weekend.
“Jazz has so much swag. He can really kind of pull off anything,” teammate Cody Bellinger said.
Chisholm also made an equipment change in Baltimore, switching from his usual Chandler-manufactured bat to a 34-inch, 31-ounce Victus model belonging to Caballero.
“I was like, bro, keep my bat hot, and he’s like, ‘All right, let me try that,’” said Caballero, currently on the injured list with a broken finger. “His is more end-loaded. Mine is more balanced so you can really feel your hands.”
Baseball players are notoriously superstitious and will try almost anything to reverse their fortunes. Bellinger remembered his own unusual method for ending a prolonged slump at Double-A Tulsa in 2016.
“Showered with my jersey on,” he said. “It did work. I ended up having a really good year.”
New York found itself trailing 5-3 in the seventh when Aaron Judge delivered a two-out single off Yariel Rodríguez, who had just entered the game. Bellinger connected on a low splitter, driving it off the top of the right-center wall and into the Yankees bullpen for a two-run homer that evened the score.
Grisham entered as a pinch hitter and drew a walk, setting the stage for Chisholm, who sent a slider down the left-field line. He watched intently as the ball struck the foul pole.
“I was trying to steer it with my mind,” he said.
Chisholm celebrated by flipping his bat, turning toward his teammates in the dugout and beating his chest, then mimicking a basketball shooting motion while circling the bases. The home run lifted his batting average to .237.
“He was missing pitches that he usually hits,” manager Aaron Boone said, “and now you’re seeing it come to its level a little bit.”
Boone has embraced the unusual uniform choice.
“I think he looks great, especially when his uni’s dirty and he’s running around the bases,” the manager said. “So, whatever he’s got to do.”
With a 7-5 advantage, David Bednar secured the victory in the ninth inning despite allowing an RBI double to pinch-hitter Jesús Sánchez. Toronto had runners on first and second with one out when Bednar struck out George Springer, then got Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to ground out to Chisholm.
Chisholm no longer needs to search for Stanton’s pants each game. Equipment manager Rob Cucuzza is now providing him with the roomy Stanton trousers on a regular basis.
“They have my name on them now,” Chisholm said.
