Despite going without superstar right fielder Aaron Judge for most of the season, the Yankees won 93 games and earned a playoff berth. They swept the archrival Red Sox in the Wild Card round, but the Yankees were then the victims of a sweep against another AL East foe – the division champion Rays – in the ALDS. The Yankees are now turning their full attention to offseason matters, including whether to retain impending free agent second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Chisholm, an All-Star for the second time in 2025, endured a down year at the plate and struggled both offensively and defensively in four appearances in the playoffs. Manager Aaron Boone left Chisholm out of the Yankees’ starting lineup for two postseason games, including their season-ending loss on Wednesday. The fans at Yankee Stadium booed Chisholm after he fouled out to first base as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the seventh inning. Nevertheless, Chisholm would rather continue his career with the Yankees than exit in free agency.
“I do hope to be back,” Chisholm said (via Brendan Kuty of The Athletic).
Regardless of whether he gets his wish, Chisholm may not sign for as much money as he expected entering the season. After Chisholm homered 30 times and stole 31 bases in 2025, he had visions of a 50-50 campaign dancing in his head when he reported to Spring Training in February. The 50-50 club consists of one player, Shohei Ohtani, who accomplished that mammoth feat two years ago. Chisholm did not come close to joining him in 2026.
While Chisholm stole a career-high 41 bases, his homer total dropped to 19 over 532 plate appearances. Chisholm’s overall line, which checked in at .242/.332/.481 last year, slid to .231/.312/.399. His production was 25% better than league average in 2025, per wRC+, but 2% below the mean this year. The lefty-swinging Chisholm continued to have a tough time versus same-handed pitchers, who have held him to an 82 wRC+ during his career. He has been much better when facing righties, though his 107 wRC+ against them this season still came in well below his lifetime mark (118).
Chisholm may have been fortunate just to register the middling numbers he put up in 2026, as his expected weighted on-base average (.294) was 18 points below his real wOBA (.312). He ranked in the league’s 16th percentile in xwOBA, and it was a similar story in expected batting average (.216; seventh percentile) and expected slugging percentage (.366; 24th percentile). Chisholm was also near the bottom of the league in K percentage (29.5; ninth percentile), though strikeouts have been part of the package since he debuted with the Marlins in 2020.
Turning to his work at the keystone, Chisholm made a couple of defensive miscues in the ALDS after drawing mixed reviews during the season. He was credited with minus-6 Defensive Runs Saved, which was the former outfielder’s first time finishing negatively in that metric as a second baseman. On the other hand, Outs Above Average (13) and Fielding Run Value (8) each liked Chisholm, who has typically garnered favorable marks in those categories. Among second basemen, only Cardinals NL Rookie of the Year contender JJ Wetherholt outdid Chisholm in OAA.
Regardless of position, the soon-to-be 29-year-old Chisholm will be one of the most established free agent hitters available if he visits the open market. Brandon Lowe (Pirates), Luis Arraez (Phillies) and former Yankee Gleyber Torres (Tigers) are also among unsigned second basemen for 2027. Chisholm and Lowe are the only members of that quartet eligible to receive the $23.15MM qualifying offer. In the Yankees’ case, it is “highly unlikely” they will extend the offer to Chisholm, according to Kuty. The Yankees did it last offseason for center fielder Trent Grisham, who was coming off a career year at the time, and it went down as a poor use of money. He accepted the $22.05MM offer and proceeded to trudge through a subpar, injury-shortened season.
Grisham seems certain to leave the Bronx in free agency this time around, and if Chisholm joins him, the Yankees will have to find someone else to man second. Luis García Jr., who could move off first base, as well as Anthony Volpe and José Caballero represent a few in-house possibilities.
Photo courtesy of Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images (via Reuters Connect)
