Jazz Chisholm Jr., the Miami Marlins’ center fielder, didn’t mince words. He described his first three seasons as “the worst three years.” Why? A toxic clubhouse vibe. He spilled the beans on The Pivot podcast, a cool show hosted by ex-NFL stars Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor, and Channing Crowder.
Clubhouse Chaos
Imagine this. One spring, an unnamed vet player took a pair of scissors to Chisholm’s cleats. “Cut up my cleats, poured milk on ’em,” he said, “Those are trash.” Just brutal. Stuff he’d worked hard for, trashed.
Now, Chisholm, at 26, is gearing up for his fifth big-league season. Despite the setbacks, including some injuries, he’s had moments of brilliance. His stats? A solid .245/.304/.452 hitter (103 OPS+). Plus, he made a smooth transition from infield to center field last year. Oh, and did I mention? He was in the 2022 All-Star Game and snagged the cover of MLB The Show 2023.
Defending a Newbie
Chisholm didn’t just watch from the sidelines. He jumped to defend a newbie who got flak for doing Juan Soto’s “shuffle” after a homer. Seems like the Marlins’ so-called team captain had a habit of bad-mouthing him to manager Don Mattingly. And the nitpicking! From how he dressed to the number of chains he wore on the field. It all boiled over into a team meeting last summer. “A meeting with guys I don’t hang out with,” Chisholm recalled. They tried to box him in. But he wasn’t having any of it.
A Turn for the Better
But here’s the twist. Chisholm gives major props to Skip Schumaker, the Marlins’ manager in his second year. According to Chisholm, Schumaker’s leadership has transformed the clubhouse. “Our clubhouse now is so together. There’s not a color in our clubhouse. We’re together, bro.” It’s like a family affair now, full of fun and friendly banter.
So, despite the rocky start, Chisholm’s story is taking a turn for the better. It’s a tale of overcoming adversity, sticking up for teammates, and ultimately finding unity in diversity. Quite the journey for the young center fielder.
