The Yankees second baseman was emotional as he ran around the bases, receiving a hug from teammate Aaron Judge after he got back to his team's dugout
Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s two-run home run on Sunday night was one that he'll never forget -- and not just because what it meant on the stat sheet.
The New York Yankees second baseman slammed the all-important home run in the second inning of the team's game against their rival Boston Red Sox, just one day after Chisholm lost his "best friend," he later revealed.
Chisholm choked back tears while rounding the bases and received a warm welcome from his Yankees teammates after giving the team the lead, which they held onto for a much-needed 7-2 win over Boston. After greeting the rest of his teammates, Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge wrapped Chisholm in his arms and gave him a gigantic hug in the dugout.
"It felt kind of surreal," Chisholm later told reporters, according to ESPN and MLB.com. "I lost my best friend yesterday, so today felt like a different type of day, especially with the 100th home run coming today and everything."
The milestone home run also helped the Yankees end a three-game losing streak and avoid being swept by the Red Sox at home for the first time since 1939, according to NESN. The recent slide has the Yankees barely holding on to a wild card spot as the MLB enters the final month of its season this week.
But despite being on the field in the heat of a playoff race, there was more than baseball on Chisholm's mind Sunday with the recent death of his best friend. "I've been going through a lot in the last 30 hours," the Bahamas native told reporters after the game.
Later, Chisholm took to Instagram to continue reflecting on the emotional moment.
"Mannnn this s--- still unbelievable," Chisholm wrote in a black and white post on his Instagram Stories, sharing a black heart emoji.
The MLB star shared a handful of other posts celebrating his milestone homer, including another that referenced its greater importance. "That's 100 for the kid!" the post read. "Keep swinging, keep dreaming, keep smiling! You know who that was for."