CHICAGO — Jazz Chisholm Jr. started to feel it in the bottom of the eighth inning Thursday, pulled up because of it on a groundout in the top of the ninth, then spent the rest of the game hobbling before he was replaced by a pinch runner in the top of the 11th.
But he and the Yankees believe the “it” was just cramps in his right hamstring and not anything more serious, with Chisholm insisting he expects to be back in the struggling lineup Friday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
“It started to feel better as the game went on, but they just wanted to play it safe to avoid injury,” Chisholm said after a brutal 2-1 loss in 11 innings against the White Sox.
Chisholm remained in the training room for treatment long after most of his teammates had left the stadium, but he said afterward he has no concerns about it lingering to become something that could cost him time.
The second baseman, who went 1-for-3 with two walks Thursday, has been part of the reason why the Yankees lineup has been struggling to score enough over the last two months.
But with 16 home runs and 30 steals, he also has the potential to create offense single-handedly, which the Yankees sorely need at a time when they are already without Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton for the foreseeable future due to injuries.
“Trainers don’t think it’s much,” manager Aaron Boone said.
Ryan Weathers turned in one of his best outings of the season — seven shutout innings over which he scattered three hits and three walks — and the Yankees needed every bit of it after their bullpen had been taxed of late.
The ground ball was Weathers’ best friend, as he recorded 12 of his 21 outs on the ground including a clutch double play to end the sixth inning and give him a chance to come back out for the seventh.
“[Ryan McMahon] and [Anthony] Volpe were huge today on the left side of the infield,” said Weathers, who continued to throw his sinker more and four-seam fastball less, to better results. “I kept them pretty busy today.”
Weathers was at 102 pitches after retiring the first two batters in the seventh, at which point Boone visited the mound for a conversation in which the lefty argued his case to stay in and won out. He rewarded Boone’s faith by getting Luisangel Acuña to ground out on his 106th and final pitch of the day.
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“I was already out there, and I got Acuña to ground out twice [before],” Weathers said. “Just wanted to be able to finish that inning and save the bullpen from even one more out.”
Carlos Rodón (left elbow inflammation) came through his live bullpen session on Wednesday — two innings and 30 pitches — without issue, Boone said.
The manager did not know whether his next step would be another live or starting a rehab assignment.
