The long-standing rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox has never required much assistance to generate controversy. However, a new chapter was added this past Sunday when Boston radio broadcaster Will Flemming took serious exception to Jazz Chisholm Jr. stealing two bases during New York’s dominant 16-1 victory at Yankee Stadium.
Flemming, serving as the Red Sox radio play-by-play voice on WEEI, did not mince words. He labeled Chisholm a “bush league player,” asserted that the Yankees star “plays the game the wrong way,” and even suggested that Boston pitcher Jovani Morán should intentionally drill batter Austin Wells while Chisholm was active on the basepaths.
The tension escalated in the bottom of the eighth inning. With New York holding a commanding 7-1 lead, Chisholm drew a leadoff walk against Morán. When Boston opted not to hold him at first, Chisholm successfully stole second. With the Red Sox defense effectively conceding the base, he then advanced to third without a throw.
“Chisholm’s doing it again,” Flemming remarked on the broadcast. “This is what he does.” Former Red Sox third baseman and WEEI analyst Will Middlebrooks supported the sentiment, arguing that Boston’s decision not to hold the runner was a sign of surrender. “By the way, you’re up six. It’s the eighth. The team is electing not to hold you on,” Middlebrooks noted. “That’s the white flag, right? Normally in that situation, you don’t run.”
Flemming, however, took his criticism significantly further. “Wouldn’t you sort of like to see Morán drill Wells right here?” he asked, before doubling down on his assessment of Chisholm’s character. While he acknowledged that Chisholm is “awesome” and “so talented,” he insisted that the player’s approach to the game was fundamentally flawed.
The incident highlights the enduring, often contentious debate surrounding baseball’s unwritten rules. While traditionalists might view stealing with a six-run lead as unnecessary, the reality of the game is that the Yankees were clearly still competing. The inning proved the point: New York went on to score nine runs in the eighth alone, turning a 7-1 game into a 15-run blowout. As the Yankees continue to push for the American League’s top Wild Card position, the intensity of these matchups remains at an all-time high.
