'It's tough to watch from the bench': Jazz done for season

MIAMI -- At his worst point in late June, Marlins All-Star second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. couldn't walk or lie down without experiencing excruciating back pain.

Nearly three months later, Chisholm is feeling better and working out on a daily basis at loanDepot park after having his rehab transferred from Jupiter, Fla. But his season is done, manager Don Mattingly and general manager Kim Ng confirmed on Saturday.

"I thought I would've been back in like a month or a couple of weeks, honestly, probably two or three weeks," Chisholm said, speaking to reporters for the first time since June 28 on Wednesday. "I thought I was going to be back in time for the All-Star Game, until it just didn't go that way. I got the news I had a stress fracture, and that it won't heal properly, and just had to go with that."

With just 20 games remaining entering Wednesday, time was running out. Chisholm wanted to return, but he understands that the club has his best interests in mind.

"We could probably push Jazz to be able to come back and DH or something," Mattingly said on Saturday. "I think the risk/reward on that -- he has a stress fracture in his back. It's something you could say, 'Well, it's healed, but is it all the way?' It just doesn't seem to be worth it. I think Jazz would like to play, he would like to have played. I think the organization basically made that decision for him, that we were going to just let this thing go, keep strengthening all year long, so we know going into the winter that he's healthy, he's ready, he's doing everything, he feels great. So again, I think an organizational decision."

The 24-year-old Chisholm was a breakout star in the first half, posting an .860 OPS with 10 doubles, four triples, 14 homers, 12 stolen bases and 45 RBIs in 60 games. He became just the sixth Marlin to be voted in by the fans to start the Midsummer Classic.

But Chisholm, who last played on June 28, couldn’t walk after trying to sprint during All-Star Game festivities. Had he gotten through that pain-free, he would’ve gone back and played. Chisholm underwent a CT scan on July 21 in Los Angeles that revealed a stress fracture in his lower back, meaning he would be out of game action for at least six weeks.

That made batting practice at Dodger Stadium Chisholm’s last baseball activity. He hasn’t picked up a bat or a glove -- or worn tennis shoes -- since. This is the longest stretch he has gone without playing since tearing his meniscus in 2017.

In his absence, Miami has scored just 2.7 runs per game and gone 25-44. The Marlins scored 4.4 runs per game through June 28, going 26-30 in his starts.

"I feel like the toughest part of me not being able to play is not being able to help the team," Chisholm said. "You look at the numbers, and you see when I was there, there was a little more winning. I felt like I can help. It sucks when you're hurt to where you can't help. You're just sitting there, and you're helpless basically to your team, and you did not have a good season this year, and it's tough to watch from the bench and knowing you can't do anything."

Chisholm expects a normal offseason, which means continuing to work out until beginning baseball activities in November or early December. One of his objectives is to add weight and strength.

“100 percent Spring Training,” Chisholm said when asked. “No issues. I feel like if we had a playoff run right now, I'd be able to go.”