Jazz Chisholm Jr. found himself at the center of a controversy Monday after a late-game steal drew criticism from a Red Sox broadcaster, prompting a response from the Yankees second baseman and manager Aaron Boone.
The Play and the Criticism
Chisholm stole two bases in the eighth inning of Sunday's game, which the Yankees won by six runs. The Red Sox had chosen not to hold Chisholm on at first base after he walked, and Red Sox broadcaster Will Flemming labeled him a "bush league player" who "plays the game the wrong way," according to the New York Post. Flemming said Chisholm was out of line because the Red Sox had elected not to hold him on, and later suggested that the Red Sox should throw at Yankees catcher Austin Wells, who was at the plate when Chisholm took off, and that pitcher Jovani Moran should start a fight with Chisholm as retaliation.
##Chisholm's Response
Chisholm, speaking Monday at Angel Stadium, said he was "lost for words." "I did not expect that when I woke up. But people show you who they are," he said, as reported by the New York Post. He also brushed off Flemming's identity: "I didn't even know who that was until this morning," Chisholm said, according to AM New York. "And I'm still not going to remember who he is after today."
Chisholm defended his actions, saying, "They're called unwritten rules because you're not really breaking any rules." He referenced the Red Sox's own behavior last year, noting: "You've seen teams — actually them [last year] — do the same thing where they're pouring on runs. We didn't have nothing to say or nothing to do about it. That's just showing how unprofessional he is." These comments were reported by both AM New York and the New York Post.
##Judge's Take
Yankees captain Aaron Judge, who is working his way back from a fractured rib, also weighed in. "He needs to stay out of that and not be telling people to throw at players and injure players. That's not what this game's about," Judge said, as reported by AM New York. "Not too happy to be hearing broadcasters talking about trying to injure or hurt players," he added. "He needs to clean that up."
##Boone's Role and the Apology
Manager Aaron Boone revealed that Flemming called him on Monday to apologize, and he also posted an apology on social media, according to both AM New York and the New York Post. In his post, Flemming wrote: "I meant no disrespect to the Yankees players or organization. I could and should have used different words. These rivalry games get me fired up; I apologize for lettingthe emotion of the moment get the best of me." The New York Post reported that Flemming said he "crossed a line."
Boone said he accepted and appreciated Flemming's apology, as reported by the New York Post. However, Chisholm said he had not heard from Flemming and did not care to, according to the same outlet.
Boone also stood behind his decision to tell Chisholm to run, according to the New York Post. As first reported by Yankees play-by-play man Michael Kay on his radio show Monday, Boone had initially told Chisholm not to run after he walked with no outs in the bottom of the eighth with, at the time, a 7-1 lead. But once the Red Sox had first baseman Nick Sogard not hold Chisholm on at first, Boone changed course and told him to run, the Post reported. In between, Boone yelled over to Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy in the visiting dugout, telling him that he couldn't have it both ways, according to the New York Post.
Boone explained his reasoning: "I was not planning on running with that lead, had they played it straight," he said, as reported by the New York Post. He added, "I respect some of the unwritten rules, I really do." The Post also noted that Boone wanted to avoid using David Bednar, as the Yankees bullpen was on fumes, and that the winner of Sunday's game would gain home-field advantage if the teams ended the season tied.
##Looking Ahead
The flap adds another chapter to the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, which is set to continue in the American League Wild Card Series for the second straight year, with New York having taken last year's meeting 2 games to 1, as reported by AM New York.