Recent months have all but ensured All-Star second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. isn’t returning to the New York Yankees next season.
Those still hoping for another year of Chisholm in pinstripes need to accept reality. The New York Post reported on Thursday night that the Yankees are unlikely to extend him the qualifying offer, which would have netted him roughly $23.1 million next year.
Jon Heyman added that the 93-win Yankees are expected to give veteran closer David Bednar the QO, and neither move is especially surprising. Chisholm wore out his welcome and all but publicly clashed with Brian Cashman, whereas Bednar is fresh off an impressive first full season in the Bronx. We argued earlier this week that Chisholm continues to tank his free-agent value, and failing to earn the QO is yet another red flag.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. keeps hurting his free agency stock
For the unfamiliar, the qualifying offer works like this: You sign a one-year contract, all of which is set ahead of time and fully guaranteed, and lacks a no-trade clause. Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham wisely took the QO last offseason, though he’s ineligible to receive it again.
Consider Chisholm’s strengths and play style, and you realize he’s not someone you want to let leave without a fight. This doesn’t appear to be a financial decision, especially after Aaron Judge publicly called out the team’s spending habits.
Had he received the QO, we’d have urged Chisholm to take it without hesitating. That’s an easy $23.1 million, and it would have secured a deal ahead of the looming work stoppage.
But in fairness to the Yankees, why would they have extended the QO when it’s clear they don’t want him back? Management clearly thought highly of Grisham, and Bednar is a proven commodity at a vital position. We also wouldn’t be shocked if Brian Cashman learned the consequences of giving Grishan — whose numbers plummeted after a career-best 2025 campaign — a fully-guaranteed $22 million contract.
The counter is Chisholm’s skill set as a dynamic, multi-dimensional second baseman with legitimate power and speed. Let the record also show we like Chisholm enough that we predicted he’d have a stellar postseason.
Which teams should sign Jazz Chisholm in free agency?
We recently looked at some potential landing spots for Chisholm, and we’ve added some new teams to the mix:
- The Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves still make the most sense to us, though the latter would likely need to trade Ozzie Albies.
- Chisholm would give the Phillies another lefty bat if Luis Arraez leaves in free agency, but how would his energetic personality fit a veteran-heavy clubhouse? That said, Philadelphia sports fans aren’t much different than those in New York.
- Will their NLCS exit motivate the Dodgers to be extra aggressive this winter? Look at how they responded after falling short of the pennant in 2021 and 2023.
- The Padres’ new ownership group proclaimed they're “all-in” after an NLDS loss to the Brewers. Signing Chisholm would certainly send an interesting message.
If the Padres somehow landed Chisholm, their next move should be targeting the Mets’ Jefry Yan. We’re sure the old-school fans would love Chisholm’s individualism and Yan jumping after recording a strikeout.
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