On Sunday night, the New York Yankees avoided what would have been an embarrassing four-game sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox, taking a 7-2 victory courtesy of a big night from second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. Chisholm went 2-4 on the night — with two of those hits being home runs to drive in four runs of the Yankees' runs on the night.

From the get-go, it was apparent that Chisholm was carrying a little something extra, as if something far greater than him was powering him to an incredible showing. Surely enough, Chisholm was grieving the loss of someone dear to him, fueling him to give it his all for the Yankees. In doing so, he hit the century mark in home runs for his career as a result.

And it showed — after he hit his first home run of the night to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, he was fighting back tears when he was met by his teammates to celebrate with him.

It is never easy to lose someone one holds near and dear to them. It's close to impossible to go to work when one is in a state of mourning. But thankfully, professional sports provides an emotional outlet, and Chisholm certainly was able to release some of the emotions he was carrying all while making his close friend proud.

After the game, the Yankees second baseman revealed that he had just lost his best friend yesterday and that everything still feels “surreal” to him.

“I lost my best friend yesterday. Yeah, today felt like a different type of day, especially with the 100th [career] home run coming and everything, you know,” Chisholm said, per SNY's Yankees Videos on X (formerly Twitter).

Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. powers through the grief

New York Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm (13) in the dugout before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

It's not always easy to be in tip-top condition for work whenever one is going through an emotional ordeal. This certainly was the case for Chisholm as he dealt with the loss of someone he loves so deeply. But he didn't just show up for the Yankees, he managed to thrive and put in a performance that can be construed as a tribute to his dearly departed best friend.

Some things are bigger than baseball, and the loss of a friend certainly counts as such. But the beauty of baseball is that it can provide a release and a means of escape, helping the Yankees second baseman deal with such a difficult situation.

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