The first four games were like dating at a distance.
Most Yankees fans could only watch Jazz Chisholm Jr. from afar, as he shined in wins on the road over the Red Sox and Phillies.
Friday night was different.
Friday night in The Bronx, they could begin to shower the newcomer with love, make him feel at home in his Yankee Stadium debut in pinstripes.
When it came around to him during the Bleacher Creature’s Roll Call, Chisholm impersonated a basketball player taking a step-back jump shot.
He received loud ovations throughout the night.
“I’ve always loved Yankees fans. I never really had a problem with Yankees fans ever since I’ve been playing here,” the 26-year-old Chisholm said before the Yankees fell to the Blue Jays, 8-5, at the Stadium. “Every time I’ve been here, the Yankees fans always showed me love, even when I was with the Marlins. I think even earlier in the season, they were saying that they wanted me to come to New York. So I’m here now and I’m ready to show out for you guys.”
He arrived for the occasion prepared: Chisholm was wearing a 314-foot short porch T-shirt to his pre-game press conference.
“This is my plan today,” he joked, referring to his shirt. “That’s why I wore the shirt. … Just kidding with the 314 shirt, obviously. But it’s going to be a lot of fun to play in a park where you can be early a little bit and hit a home run.”
He wasn’t able to test out the short porch on Friday, going hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts.
He had been off to a fast start as a Yankee.
After an underwhelming season up to this point with the Marlins — he was slashing .249/.323/.407 with a .730 OPS — Chisholm seemed at ease as a Yankee. In his first four contests, he had a pair of two-homer games, eight RBIs and hit safely in all four games.
He has looked comfortable at third base despite never playing the position before.
Chisholm was excited for his first home game as a Yankee, with several family members and friends in attendance.
He has spent his entire career in front of empty crowds on teams with low expectations.
Now, he’s on the opposite end of the spectrum, playing for a team that always has championship hopes alongside two of the sport’s great hitters, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.
So far, the high-profile surroundings seems to fit him well.
“For me, I feel like this is what I like to do,” Chisholm said. “I like to [play] under the lights, I like to play for winning teams. I like to win. If everybody in the lineup is willing to go [the extra mile] and we’re ready to win, I feel like it just boosts me up a lot more.
“I would say, it’s a lot more exciting to be out there with the guys that I’m out there with now like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. Guys that can push me to my absolute best.”