Royals’ arch nemesis frustratingly helps spark Yankees’ first-round playoff win

Around this time last year, the Kansas City Royals were in a fierce head-to-head battle with the New York Yankees in the ALDS.

Amid their tightly-contested matchup, the Royals made an enemy that would end up sticking longer than just the confines of that best-of-five series. This of course was infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., who sparked some fire works with some choice comments on the Royals’ Game 2 victory and a Maikel Garcia slide into shortstop Anthony Volpe.

The bitter rivalry would rear it’s ugly head again earlier this season when Chisholm had some choice words once again after Garcia tagged him a little harder than he would’ve liked.

Now, as the Royals sit and watch the playoffs unfold from the sidelines, they’ve had to bare witness to their nemesis play a key role in the Yankees’ comeback series victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Royals’ nemesis Jazz Chisholm Jr. at the center of Yankees’ Wild Card series victory

The Royals faithful may have thought they got the last laugh over Chisholm after Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone confusingly opted not to include him in the team’s Game 1 lineup against Garrett Crochet and the Sox.

But after he was re-inserted into New York’s Game 2 plans, it didn’t take long for him to make his mark.

While Chisholm would end up going 0-for-3 in this game, he would draw a key walk off reliever Garrett Whitlock. Then, it would only take the next batter for him to showcase his blistering speed by scoring from first on a single from Austin Wells which put the Yankees up 4-3.

That would prove to be the winning the run to draw the series even, setting Chisholm up to play yet another major role in Game 3.

The Yankees would take the third game off the backs of a brilliant start from rookie Cam Schlittler, but the offense played it’s role, including Chisholm.

The second baseman would go 2-for-4, coming in to score one of New York’s four runs in the their deciding fourth inning barrage.

Again, the likes of Wells and Ben Rice playing hero in terms of driving most of the key runs in Game 2 and Schlittler’s shutout leading the charge in Game 3’s series clinching victory at least gives Royals fans a bit of solace knowing that the series wasn’t completely won and lost at the hands of their bitter rival.

However, the sting will be present nonetheless knowing that Chisholm still seems to be getting the last laugh a year after the feud began.