Yankees defend Jazz Chisholm after ‘I don’t know the rule’ quote; ‘He’s not dumb!’

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Baseball fans everywhere are using social media to make fun of Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm, who was caught on video admitting he didn’t know a Baseball 101 rule while being interviewed after Saturday night’s 5-4, 10-inning loss to the Rays.

The morning after, his manager came to his defense.

“He’s not dumb,” manager Aaron Boone said.

After the winning run scored on a one-out, bases-loaded chopper to second base that was bobbled, Chisholm said he thought about throwing to the first base and then hope Ben Rice has time to throw to second to double up Yandy Diaz.

“I don’t know what the rule is, if I went to first base first and (Rice) threw it back to second is it still out? Chisholm said. “Is it still a double play? I don’t know.”

Sitting one locker stall away, Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham overheard Chisholm and spoke up.

“No, he’ll score,” Grisham said. “(The runner on third will) get there before the tag occurs.”

Boone watched a replay of Chisholm’s video and took a stance that his player misspoke.

“Yeah, we’ll talk through it,” Boone said. “He’s not confused on it. I think that’s his kind of default answer when he’s got (media) in front of him or whatever.”

But does Chisholm know the rule?

Did he on Saturday night?

“I think he does know the rule, yes,” Boone responded.

Chisholm bobbled the ball because he didn’t see it until it was right on him because left fielder Cody Bellinger was playing as a fifth infielder and cut in front of him.

The chopper bounced over Bellinger and to Chisholm while Diaz stopped running to second a few feet away.

Chisholm’s first instinct was right. He hoped to tag Diaz and throw to first before hitter Jonathan Aranda touched the bag because there was no chance to throw home for a forceout with Chandler Simpson, the fastest player in the majors, on third base.

“It turns out to be a tough play,” Boone said. “I watched it back. There might have been a chance to where if (Chisholm) gets it cleanly, he gets the tag off. It’s hard to know how exactly Diaz reacts in that moment. But once it chops like that, it’s obviously going to be a tough one to turn the normal 4-6-3 (double play).”

Boone feels bad that Chisholm is getting ridiculed on social media.

“Look, I think part of it comes to answering those things in a better way, but you guys know Jazz,” he said. “He’s not a dumb guy. So it’s just sometimes how you present yourself in certain situations.”

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