Jazz Chisholm Jr. played a key role in the New York Yankees 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals in the opening game of the ALDS of the 2024 MLB postseason, scoring the game-winning run to clinch the win. However, this run was made possible by Alex Verdugo’s RBI single with the game over Chisholm didn’t miss the opportunity to send a message of support to his teammate.

Verdugo was met with boos from Yankees fans, a reaction he confirmed by even sending them a message. But Chisholm, aware of the criticism, was quick to praise Verdugo, highly appreciating his talent and resiliencewhile making it clear that he fully supports his teammate.

“We all know Alex Verdugo – he experienced important moments, played for great teams. It’s nothing to him. I was talking to someone earlier, just before I came here. That’s what he lives for. He has already played in big cities – Boston, Los Angeles and I’m not talking about the Angels. So for me he did it. He’s almost a career .300 hitter. He’s done this before. Love it. Verdugo is my boy and I will always support him.” Chisholm said.

Verdugo had two runs in the opener, but the key moment came in the bottom of the seventh inning when his RBI single allowed the Yankees and recorded his sixth winning streak. Chisholm, who scored the goal, narrowly avoided colliding with the referee in a dramatic finish.

Chisholm and Verdugo’s performance in Game 1

Chisholm played third base, he’s going 1-for-4 at the plate with a .250 average and no strikeouts. Meanwhile, Verdugo had the highest batting average among the Yankees, going 2-for-3 with a .667 average and scoring two runs.

Ultimately, the question of whether Alex Verdugo or Jasson Dominguez would start on the left wing was decided in Verdugo’s favor, and manager Aaron Boone’s decision paid off. Dominguez remains on the roster as a potential option for upcoming playoff games.

Richard “Richie” Tovar is a bilingual sportswriter with over 13 years of experience and a bachelor’s degree in statistics. Born and raised in Venezuela, Richard has always had a deep connection to American sports, especially the NFL, which he follows closely and covers extensively, as well as college football. He comes from a country that loves baseball and also represents the MLB league every season. Since joining Bolavip US in 2021, Richard has continued to grow as a writer, demonstrating his passion for numbers and statistics in many of his articles. Apart from sports, he likes programming, nature, going to the gym and cooking home-made meals.