Why isn't Jazz Chisholm playing? Volpe in Yankees lineup vs Red Sox

NEW YORK — Jazz Chisholm played in 137 games and hit 19 home runs for the New York Yankees this season. Yet the looming specter of Boston Red Sox rookie lefty Payton Tolle was enough to send Chisholm to the bench

for Game 1 of the American League wild card series Tuesday, Sept. 29.

While Tolle has at least partially reverse splits, his dominant fastball might overwhelm Chisholm, who has gone from crushing fastballs a year ago to performing meekly against them this season. And former shortstop Anthony Volpe has been too effective down the stretch for Yankees manager Aaron Boone to roll with Chisholm.

Boone's perspective? It will take all 26 men to defeat the Red Sox in this best-of-three sprint.

"My expectation is he'll be ready to go and could play a crucial role as early as tonight," Boone said Tuesday to Yankees beat reporters before his nightly press conference.

Chisholm struck a confident tone a day earlier, telling reporters Monday in New Yor that he would be "ticked off" if he didn't start Game 1.

"Yeah, who wouldn't be?" he said. "As a competitor, who wouldn't be? It's the playoffs. You want to play."

Chisholm has a .170 batting average, three homers and a .607 OPS in 24 career playoff games. Volpe is at .252 with no homers and a .728 OPS in 21 career playoff games.