"Playing baseball with a lollipop in your mouth? A disgrace to the Yankees! You're no clown, are you..." Legend delivers harsh criticism

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Goose Gossage (75), the "legendary closer" of the New York Yankees, unleashed ruthless criticism at Jazz Chisholm Jr. (28) for playing with a lollipop in his mouth during a game.

In an interview with U.S. local media outlet 'NJ.com' on the 1st (Korean time), Gossage pointed out the lax discipline and attitude of the recent Yankees roster. While stating, "The Yankees have many excellent young players. I personally like Ben Rice, Spencer Jones, and Aaron Judge," he criticized, "But the problem is that no one is teaching them how to behave."

The arrow immediately pointed at Chisholm Jr. He had sparked fierce controversy by taking the field for defense with a lollipop in his mouth during a game on June 23. Gossage said, "However, there are players who act like fools. I saw Chisholm Jr. playing with a candy in his mouth," adding sharply, "He is a disgrace to the Yankees. He is nothing but a clown."

Immediately after the incident, Chisholm Jr. displayed a confident attitude, saying, "Baseball is a game for kids, and I am just enjoying it." Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who is usually known for shielding his players, also brushed off the situation with a joking reaction the next day when Chisholm Jr. performed well, stating, "Our 'Candy Boy' did it." Fans also dismissed it as a simple fiasco after one home run.

However, now that the season has ended, even the manager's perspective has completely shifted. Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who recently secured his retention for the 2027 season, revealed an unusually cold attitude regarding the incident at an official press conference, stating, "It was unpleasant and naturally annoying. It was one of the things I tried to correct on the spot." The manager no longer serves as a shield for Chisholm Jr., who has lost the trust of the locker room due to poor performance, postseason errors, and irresponsible behavior.

His performance also hit rock bottom. Although Chisholm Jr. had guaranteed "50 home runs and 50 stolen bases" in the offseason ahead of acquiring free agent (FA) eligibility, he left a dismal record far below expectations with a regular season batting average of .231 and an OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) of .711. Injuries compounded the issue, squashing any chance of a rebound, and in Game 2 of the American League Division Series (ALDS), faced with a cliffhanger situation, he committed a critical throwing error and maintained an irresponsible attitude, provoking public outrage among fans. Immediately after being eliminated from the postseason, he also lost the trust of his teammates, meaning even the manager no longer serves as a shield for him.

Ultimately, the partnership between the Yankees and Chisholm Jr. appears to be coming to an end. According to Mark Feinendegen, a reporter for the official Major League Baseball website MLB.com, it is known that the Yankees are highly likely not to present Chisholm Jr. with a qualifying offer (QO). This year's QO amount was set at 23.15 million dollars (approximately 31.1 billion won), and eligible players must decide whether to accept by the 18th, but the Yankees are hesitating even about continuing their partnership for just one more year.

Gossage's rough outburst, as a "legendary closer" who led the Yankees' golden era from 1978 to 1983, recording 310 saves in 1,002 career games and being inducted into the Hall of Fame, starkly points out the current state of Chisholm Jr., who had become intoxicated with superficial style while forgetting the weight of the Yankees uniform, a symbol of Major League tradition and discipline.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original