Bellinger has hits in each of his three appearances since coming back on Sunday, including a home run and five RBIs to date. Chisholm Jr. has posted three multi-hit games in his last four, highlighted by a three-hit performance in the latest win over Houston.
Chisholm Jr. spoke after the game about the impact of having Bellinger in the lineup, noting the confidence boost across the team with other key players also nearing full strength. “He’s one of our guys. Especially… that’s an MVP-caliber player right there,” Chisholm Jr. said. “So having him in the lineup, I feel like everybody’s a bit more confident. We’ve got Judge coming back soon and other guys returning, so I just feel like you go into the playoffs swinging with more confidence right now.”
The Yankees, now 75-57, received encouragement from the resurgence of Bellinger in the middle of the order. Yet, a major hurdle remains: Aaron Judge is still sidelined with a rib stress fracture and is ramping up his rehabilitation. New York sits 3.5 games behind the top AL East club as the season progresses.
Looking ahead, the Yankees have one more meeting with Houston before a four-game set against the Boston Red Sox over the weekend. The team will need continued contributions from its recent contributors and a healthy Judge to push for a stronger position as the pennant race intensifies.
