Chicago — Jazz Chisholm Jr. experienced hamstring cramps during Thursday’s extended 2-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox, but both the player and the New York Yankees expressed optimism that the issue would not sideline him for long. Chisholm first felt discomfort late in the eighth inning and subsequently pulled up during a groundout in the top of the ninth. He remained on the field limping until a pinch runner replaced him in the 11th inning.

Following the game, Chisholm described the discomfort as cramps in his right hamstring and indicated that the sensation improved as the contest progressed. The second baseman stayed in the training room for treatment after most of his teammates had left, but he said he does not anticipate the condition affecting his availability for Friday’s game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

“It started to feel better as the game went on, but they just wanted to play it safe to avoid injury,” Chisholm said. Manager Aaron Boone echoed a cautious yet reassured stance, stating that the team’s medical staff did not believe the issue to be serious.

Chisholm has been a mixed factor in the Yankees’ offense this season. Although the lineup has struggled to produce runs consistently over recent weeks, he has contributed 16 home runs and 30 stolen bases, underlining his potential to drive the offense independently. This offensive output is particularly important given that New York remains without key hitters Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton, all sidelined by injuries with no clear return dates.

On the pitching side, rookie left-hander Ryan Weathers delivered one of his strongest performances of the season. He pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks while recording 12 groundball outs among his 21 total outs. His ability to induce ground balls was aided by strong defensive plays, particularly a pivotal double play in the sixth inning that helped preserve his shutout bid. Weathers attributed part of his success to leaning more on his sinker and reducing four-seam fastball usage.

Despite reaching 102 pitches after retiring two batters in the seventh, Weathers persuaded Boone to allow him to continue, ultimately finishing the inning on 106 pitches by coaxing a groundout from Luisangel Acuña. Boone’s trust was rewarded as Weathers’ endurance helped protect the bullpen, which has faced heavy workloads in recent games.

Though the Yankees fell short in a tightly contested game that extended into 11 innings, both Weathers’ pitching and Chisholm’s status provide some positive notes amid the team’s ongoing challenges.