Jazz Chisholm Jr. battled neck tightness and frustration with Royals’ Maikel Garcia during the New York Yankees’ 10-2 rout of Kansas City on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
The Yankees third baseman exited in the seventh inning after a sixth-inning steal attempt left him banged up. Diving into third, Chisholm’s helmet was knocked off when Garcia’s glove, missing a throw, struck his head, and his neck collided with Garcia’s knee. Despite downplaying concerns about his neck and right thumb, Chisholm was visibly irritated by Garcia’s tag, reigniting tensions from their ALDS clash last October. Manager Aaron Boone remained optimistic about Chisholm’s condition, but the fiery exchange added spice to the rivalry.
“I just feel like every time we have a problem, it’s always been him,” Chisholm said. “That’s the only reason I was so frustrated. To see that he didn’t even have the ball, for the way that he tagged me, I didn’t like it. Just frustrated, that’s it.”
Tensions between Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Maikel Garcia trace back to the 2024 ALDS, where Chisholm accused Garcia of attempting to injure Anthony Volpe with a hard slide into second base in Game 4, sparking a benches-clearing fracas. Earlier in the series, Chisholm stirred controversy by calling the Royals “lucky” for their Game 2 win, drawing fierce boos from Kauffman Stadium crowds in Games 3 and 4. The bad blood continues to fuel this heated Yankees-Royals rivalry in 2025.
Jazz Chisholm Jr., who exited early with neck tightness, throws to first base during the second inning of the Yankees’ 10-2 blowout win over the Royals on June 10, 2025.
That remained the case on Tuesday, though Chisholm said he liked it.
“I’m not at home, so I’d rather walk up to something instead of walking up to no noise at all,” Chisholm said. “I feel like on the road, when road hitters come up and there’s nothing going on, I feel like it’s just bleh.
“Go ahead and boo me, you’re giving me some music to at least walk up to.”
As for his neck, Chisholm and Boone said they expect him to be back in the lineup Wednesday.
The New York Yankees face a bullpen setback as reliever Jake Cousins’ recovery from a right elbow flexor strain hit a roadblock. Manager Aaron Boone revealed Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at Kauffman Stadium that Cousins felt “some stuff” in his elbow during a rehab assignment, halting his progress after two outings. “To feel something with the elbow is concerning, but then again, we got to see what we have,” Boone said.
Cousins, who underwent an MRI and consulted Dr. Chris Ahmad, had emerged as a key high-leverage reliever in 2024 despite a late-season pec strain. His 2025 campaign was derailed by a forearm strain in spring training, followed by a May pec issue. His latest rehab stint, including a 25-pitch, two-inning performance on June 7 with High-A Hudson Valley, now raises concerns about his short- and long-term availability.
With the trade deadline looming, Cousins’ injury amplifies the Yankees’ need for bullpen reinforcements. Meanwhile, veteran Marcus Stroman, sidelined since mid-April with knee inflammation, is progressing through live batting practice and nearing rehab games, with Boone eyeing a return as a starter. Lefty Ryan Yarbrough has filled the fifth starter role but struggled in a recent outing against the Red Sox. Can the Yankees bolster their pitching to stay in the playoff hunt?