Jazz Chisholm is the key Yankees X-factor in these playoffs

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is all that now stands between the Yankees and an atrocious trade deadline.

Enyel De Los Santos — remember him? — had a five-game Yankee career, a 13.63 ERA, and then did the reverse Jake Cousins/Tim Hill and ended up going from The Bronx to the 121-loss White Sox. He cost the Yankees outfielder Brandon Lockridge, who is on the Padres’ postseason roster as a pinch-runner/spare outfielder.

 You know who didn’t make a postseason roster — at least not yet? 

Mark Leiter Jr. 

The Yanks obtained Leiter Jr. from the Cubs, believing he would be in their late-game circle of trust. Instead, he was kept off the American League Division Series roster after pitching to a 4.98 ERA and .301 batting average against in 21 Yankees games.

Leiter Jr. cost Jack Neely and Ben Cowles, the Cubs’ 18th- and 29th-ranked prospects according to MLB.com. But the bigger one is opportunity cost. 

For a case can be offered that the Royals, the Yankees’ ALDS competition beginning Saturday night, made the best deadline deal for a reliever in acquiring Lucas Erceg, who emerged as their lockdown closer afterward. Meanwhile, the Yankees made two of the worst for De Los Santos and Leiter Jr. 

I would assume that with Tim Hill, Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle — and even Jonathan Loaisiga and Lou Trivino— about to be free agents that the Yankees will tender Leiter Jr. a contract and try to revive him next season. But even pondering that subject exemplifies how badly the Yankees’ relief acquisitions at the deadline went.

So that leaves Chisholm, who is the kind of player who can embrace the bright lights of this moment and go off positively, or get absorbed in trying to be the man and cost the Yankees.

In a 140-word answer on what he anticipates from Chisholm playing his first home playoff game ever — notably in this home — Aaron Boone used the term “he’s cut out for it” three times.

That speaks to the obvious showman in Chisholm — the one that can allow him to flourish with all eyes on him … or perhaps try to show off.

 “I think he feels like this is what he’s made for,” Boone said.

I saw Chisholm play a lot for the Marlins at Citi Field and knew he was talented. But watching him daily, it is more than I thought. There is an Alfonso Soriano lithe body whippy ease to his power — albeit from the left side rather than the right. He can really run and has a strong arm.

Since Chisholm’s first Yankees game on July 28, the only players who have topped both his 11 homers and 18 steals are Shohei Ohtani (22 homers/33 steals) and Jose Ramirez (15 homers/22 steals). His 2.3 Wins Above Replacement (FanGraphs) since then were actually second on the Yankees to Aaron Judge (MLB-best 4.2) — ahead of the 2.2 from Juan Soto.

But watching him a lot for the Marlins at Citi Field, I also saw a lot of times where it seemed he was putting style over substance. Perhaps, in generally losing situations with Miami, it is harder to focus solely on the scoreboard.

 As a Yankee, Chisholm has strayed in that direction a bit, but been generally a strong player. The greatest problem is that he is still adapting to a new position at third, where he has shown the skills to make awesome plays — his range and arm are good — but also botch the more routine.

 The Royals are an aggressive team that probably will challenge Chisholm with a few bunts to see if getting him to handle the ball at a still new position gives them a few openings.

 Boone cited Chisholm’s quick impact after going from the losing and disinterest with the Marlins to joining the Yankees — four homers in his first three games, seven in his first 12 — to exemplify that he will not be overwhelmed by the stakes going up.

 “I know he’s loved every step of the way,” Boone said of Chisholm’s time with the Yankees.

 The cost was three farmhands, including Agustin Ramirez, now the Marlins’ third-ranked prospect and Jared Serna, who is 10th. Unlike their other deals, to date, the Yankees are receiving the today benefits that make such deals valuable for the buyer. Chisholm helped the Yankees get into the playoffs. Now, he is a vital X-factor on both sides of the ball for the Yankees to keep moving forward.

 We are going to find out if he is truly cut out for October as a Yankee.