Jazz Chisholm Jr. will be a free agent after the season ends, and after a down year, the Yankees could let him walk.
Chisholm may not be having the best season, but he has swung the bat better as of late and will want to be paid like one of the best second basemen in baseball. However, the Yankees may be reluctant to pay him what he wants and may look at other options at second base. CBS Sports' Mike Axisa listed Chisholm as the second-best free agent this offseason, but did not have the Yankees as a potential landing spot.
Axisa listed the San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers as landing spots for Chisholm. The Padres have had Jake Cronenworth as the starting second baseman for most of the year. The Rangers don't really need Chisholm, positionally speaking, but they could certainly use his bat in the lineup.
It has been a down year offensively -- there is no denying that -- but Chisholm will still go 20-45 or so and finish the season north of 3 WAR," Axisa wrote of Chisholm. "His baserunning and defense at an up-the-middle position give him a very high floor. The bad version of Chisholm is still a very good player, albeit one with a casual style that isn't for everyone. The upcoming free agent class is light on impact middle infielders and position players with a chance to go to the All-Star Game next season. Chisholm is both of those things, and he will play the entire 2027 season at age 29. Prime-aged middle infielders who can hit for power, steal bases, and defend at a high level are in short supply. Chisholm is the only one who meets the criteria in the free agent class."
Just last season, Chisholm was an All-Star and posted a 30-30 season. If that was the version of him the Yankees got this year, he would certainly be worth paying long-term. However, his woes this year have cost him some money and opened the door for the Yankees to pass on him.
