The New York Yankees are riding high as they head toward a weekend series with the division rival Boston Red Sox.
The team has won eight of its last nine series after taking care of business against the Cleveland Guardians. Meanwhile, the Red Sox are in the midst of a disappointing year after reloading around significant win-now talent over the winter.
Amid injuries, production setbacks and some bad luck, the Red Sox are entering their matchup with the Yankees with a losing record and a fourth-place standing in the American League East. But perhaps the most notable issue for the team so far has been some prolonged issues surrounding franchise slugger Rafael Devers.
After the Red Sox acquired Alex Bregman in the offseason, the team moved Devers to a full-time designated hitter role, which he initially refused. Then, after a season-ending injury for Triston Casas, the team asked him to move to first base, which he has continued to refuse.
Amid that drama, Yankees star Jazz Chisholm Jr. has made his thoughts on the saga very clear.
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“I believe if you’re promised your position, you should go play the position you were promised,” Chisholm said, per The Athletic. “That’s what he worked on his whole career. You can’t go back on it. I don’t have a problem with what he did.”
Notably, Chisholm has been willing to change positions for the Yankees. Though he’s a long-time second baseman, he took over at third for the team when it acquired him in a trade last year. And, after starting at second this year, Chisholm has moved back to third to accommodate teammate DJ LeMahieu.
However, Chisholm feels that Devers is justified in his own refusal to do the same.
“His situation, it’s completely different than mine,” Chisholm added
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