Aaron Judge Needs a Running Mate, Hopefully it is Jazz Chisholm

It was obvious this offseason, after the New York Yankees lost Juan Soto in free agency, that Aaron Judge was going to need a new running mate. Over the last few weeks, Jazz Chisholm has made his case. 

The Yankees need to take some pressure off Aaron Judge at the top of the lineup. Even as one of the game’s best hitters, he’s still vulnerable to elite strikeout arms—especially in October. Despite having more postseason home runs for the Yankees than Babe Ruth, his playoff reputation remains tied to falling short in big moments.

That’s why Jazz Chisholm Jr. makes sense as a leadoff option. At his best, he brings speed, contact, and legit power—all things you want, setting the tone. He’s also one of the rare players who can electrify both his team and the crowd with one at-bat. His energy is contagious, his style draws attention, and let’s be honest—it’s just more fun when Jazz is the player of the game instead of Ben Rice. No disrespect.

It could have been Paul Goldschmidt. Former MVPs always have a shot to recapture that level, but at this stage, it might only come in flashes.

In a perfect world, Anthony Volpe or Jasson Dominguez would’ve grabbed that mantle—a young, homegrown phenom ready to rise. Both have been serviceable. Volpe’s cooled off lately, but neither has provided the kind of production needed to take pressure off Judge, however broad those shoulders may be.

Cody Bellinger feels like the next best option. Like Goldschmidt, he’s played at an MVP level. Unlike Goldschmidt, he’s still under 30. That gives him a real shot to unlock something bigger—an extra gear most players never find.

The mix around Judge—Chisholm, Goldschmidt, Bellinger, Stanton—is slower than ideal for the top of the order, but it’s loaded with power. Someone in that group needs to emerge as the clear No. 2 behind the captain.

Best-case scenario? It might just be the jazziest.