Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. not blaming Home Run Derby for funk

ST. LOUIS — Home Run Derby curse or not, Jazz Chisholm Jr. believes he is back.

A month after taking part in the event, Chisholm is finally feeling like himself again and, in a small sample size, producing like the hitter he was heading into the All-Star break, at a time when the Yankees need it most.

“I’m starting to feel like I can hit any pitch again,” Chisholm said Friday night after clubbing a two-run homer that keyed a 4-3 win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. “Once it’s over the plate, I’m going to crush it a little bit.”

For the better part of six weeks earlier this summer, Chisholm was swinging the bat like one of the best Yankees hitters, which eventually punched his ticket to the All-Star Game and even the Home Run Derby.

Then he started the second half like he performed in the Derby — that is to say, quietly, after he hit just three homers in the event, 12 fewer than the next closest hitter.

Chisholm had pledged that he would not get injured in the Derby by overswinging because he was sticking to his “70 percent” approach, but might his swing have gotten out of whack in the process?

“No, because I feel like … in the [All-Star] game I hit line drives, came back to the series after the Home Run Derby, I did hit a couple high fly balls I thought were going to get out,” Chisholm said. “I feel like I was under some baseballs, hitting them too high but hitting them hard. Feel like I’m finally getting into a groove where I’m staying above the ball, staying on top of it and driving through it.”

Instead, Chisholm chalked it up to losing his timing over the four-day break

In Chisholm’s first 20 games out of the break, he hit just .197 (15-for-76) with a .568 OPS, two home runs, four walks, 25 strikeouts and four steals.

Aaron Boone gave Chisholm a breather the following game, with lefty Framber Valdez on the mound, which seems to have paid dividends.

In five games since, entering Saturday, Chisholm hit .294 (5-for-17) with a 1.193 OPS, two home runs, one triple, four walks, six strikeouts and four steals.

“It took longer than I expected, honestly, but I feel good now,” he said.

The Yankees need that to continue in the coming days and weeks as they fight for their playoff lives.

Chisholm’s talent remains tantalizing, as he can impact the game with his power and legs, though he can sometimes get in his own way of doing that consistently.

“Kind of had a week, 10-day, whatever lull there where he was scuffling a little bit,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Feel like he’s starting to gain some traction again. He was in such a good place there for about a month, really consistent at-bats. More of that [Friday]. His at-bats were really good. Smokes the homer, but lines out his last time up, controlling the zone well. You know how he can impact the game when he’s locked in up there. Looks like he’s starting to get back to where he was a few weeks ago.”

Chisholm is on the verge of his second career 20-20 season, even after missing a month with an oblique strain and with more than a month left to play.

He entered Saturday with 21 home runs and 18 steals, which put him in a select class with José Ramírez, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Julio Rodríguez and Randy Arozarena.