WEEI Broadcaster Rips Chisholm, Suggests Drilling Wells — SkimNews
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- Will Flemming, the Red Sox' WEEI play-by-play voice, unloaded on Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the eighth inning of New York's 16-1 victory at Yankee Stadium, calling the two-time All-Star a "bush league player" after Chisholm stole second and third without a throw while the Yankees led 7-1.
- Flemming suggested Red Sox left-hander Jovani Moran should "drill" Yankees catcher Austin Wells to retaliate; three pitches later Wells lined a two-run homer to right, prompting Flemming to escalate: "Moran should fight Chisholm."
- Color analyst Will Middlebrooks labeled Chisholm "selfish" and accused him of "padding your stats," while Flemming acknowledged Chisholm is "awesome" and "so talented" even as he insisted the infielder "plays the game the wrong way."
- The game's pivot came in the fifth inning when umpires ruled Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela trapped Chisholm's low line drive, turning a potential inning-ending double play into a base hit that extended the frame for five New York runs.
- New York (78-59) moved four games ahead of Boston (74-63) for the American League's top wild-card spot and clinched the season series tiebreaker.
- WEEI is not owned by the Red Sox — it operates under parent company Audacy — meaning the rant reflects the broadcasters' personal take rather than an organizational stance.
Why it matters: With the Yankees now four games up on Boston for the AL's top wild-card spot and the season series clinched, Flemming's tirade reads as pre-playoff posturing between rivals who could meet in October — and it cost WEEI any pretense of journalistic neutrality given the explicit call for retaliation.
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