Jazz Chisholm Jr. is MLB's most polarizing free agent this offseason. On one hand, this is a 28-year-old who plays a premium position (and does so quite well) and had a 30-30 season as recently as 2025. His upside is impossible to ignore. On the other hand, Chisholm is coming off a rough offensive season, is mistake-prone, and his outgoing personality might not be everyone's cup of tea.
I can see a team betting heavily on Chisholm's talent, noting that even in a down year, he ranked second among all AL second basemen in fWAR. I can also see there being minimal interest and Chisholm needing to settle on a one-year, prove-it kind of deal. Regardless, a 28-year-old who has as much upside as Chisholm does is bound to generate tons of interest, but some of his potential suitors make much more sense than others.
7. New York Yankees
The New York Yankees know about the Jazz Chisholm Jr. experience more than any other team in the sport. They've seen him perform at a superstar level in 2025 when he won a Silver Slugger and led all AL second basemen in fWAR. They've also seen him play poorly to the point where they benched him with their season on the line just a month ago. Given the upside he possesses and their need for more of a potent lineup, it'd make sense for them to consider bringing him back on the right terms.
What are those terms, though? Do they really want to give him a one-year prove-it deal, given how poorly he just played in a contract year? Do they really want to give him a longer deal, given how this season went? The Yankees refused to even give him the qualifying offer, which says a lot about where they stand. Chisholm has repeatedly stated his desire to remain with the Yankees, so they shouldn't be completely ruled out, but it feels like he'd be better off away from all the attention that being with the Yankees brings, and the Yankees would benefit from trying something new after repeated playoff failures.
6. Detroit Tigers
Chisholm is a nice fit for the Detroit Tigers in a multitude of ways. He can provide power, which would be a welcome development for a Tigers team that lacks much slug. He can steal bases, which would be great for the team that finished second-to-last in stolen bases this past season. He even plays the same position as Gleyber Torres, who is slated to hit free agency alongside Chisholm.
There're a couple of reasons why I'm not crazy about this fit, though. First, he'd be yet another left-handed bat joining the likes of Kevin McGonigle, Riley Greene, Max Clark, Kerry Carpenter and Colt Keith in a lineup that's already left-handed-heavy. Second, the Tigers are a team not known for splurging on multiple high-end free agents in an offseason, so they need to prioritize. Is second base really the position to prioritize when they have an internal replacement, Hao-Yu Lee, already in-house, and a gaping hole at the top of their rotation? Probably not.
5. San Diego Padres
The fit for Jazz Chisholm Jr. with the San Diego Padres would be quite clear. With Ty France set to hit free agency, the Padres could move Jake Cronenworth to first base, a position he's played plenty, opening second base for Chisholm to do his thing. His left-handed power bat would be a welcome addition to their lineup too, knowing that beyond Jackson Merrill, they don't have much left-handed power.
I just hesitate to think the Padres are going to offer what it takes to get Chisholm to sign the dotted line, given all the long-term money they have invested in guys like Merrill, Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado, and their clear need for multiple starting pitchers. The Padres doing what they need to do on the starting pitching front while still having money left over for Chisholm sounds like a pipe dream, but it'd be a nice fit if that could become reality.
4. Cincinnati Reds
Now, money is a factor here, and that makes the odds of the Cincinnati Reds actually landing Chisholm rather slim. This is a team that's consistently proven it's unwilling to splurge on free agency talent. With that being said, not only could the Reds really use Chisholm, but Chisholm would be a very nice fit in Cincinnati.
From the Reds' perspective, they need more firepower in their lineup. The dynamic duo of Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart is quite impressive, but there's only so much they can do. Adding Chisholm to hit in front of or behind them would make this Reds' offense scarier, and given that Reds second basemen were worth just 0.2 fWAR this past season, they could certainly use an upgrade at the keystone. From Chisholm's perspective, Great American Ballpark is one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the majors. If he wants to take a one-year prove-it deal and show that he still has superstar upside, he can hit 30+ home runs while playing half the time in Cincinnati without issue.
3. Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are overlooked when discussing high-end free agents because of how putrid they've been, and understandably so, but there're a few reasons to believe this makes sense. First, there's a new ownership group in place, and there's every reason to believe Stan Kroenke will be looking to make a splash. Say what you want about Chisholm, but he's one of the best position players in this class, full stop. Second, the Angels' .672 OPS against right-handed pitching was the worst mark in the majors. Even in a down year, Chisholm had a .738 OPS against righties, which is above average.
Third, Angels' second basemen were worth 0.1 fWAR this past season, the worst mark in the American League. Chisholm would improve that exponentially. He, alone, won't break their postseason drought, but this team needs talent, plain and simple. Chisholm is young and has all the upside in the world.
2. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates finished the 2026 season with a winning record for just the second time in over a decade, largely due to a much-improved lineup that went from dead last to sixth in runs scored. The driving force behind that offensive improvement was Brandon Lowe, who hit 35 home runs and drove in 96 runs. The Pirates can and should do what they can to re-sign Lowe in free agency, but they're also the Pirates, which gives me no reason to believe they'll outbid the field for a star-caliber player. If (or when) Lowe walks, would Chisholm not be the perfect pivot?
He might not have as much power as Lowe, but he does have a 30-home run season under his belt, plus he offers much more on the base paths and is four years younger. Now, there's a chance Chisholm would be too expensive for the Pirates also, and he wouldn't solve their problem of hitting lefties at all, but if Lowe leaves, Chisholm makes so much sense as a natural pivot.
1. Toronto Blue Jays
Ernie Clement was a surprising All-Star for the Toronto Blue Jays, but he struggled mightily down the stretch, posting a .442 OPS from August 1 through the end of the regular season. That was not only the lowest mark among 161 qualified position players, but it ranked more than 60 points below the second-worst mark. Clement should not be guaranteed a starting role, which leaves second base open for Chisholm, a player whose strengths are where the Jays are weakest.
Chisholm strikes out a lot, but he can also hit home runs and steal bases. The Jays, as a team, struck out the second-fewest times in the regular season, but also ranked dead last in home runs and stole the fourth-fewest bases. Chisholm would give the Jays more offensive firepower, and he's a very good defensive second baseman, so they wouldn't lose anything in the field. Giving Chisholm 13 chances annually to stick it to the Yankees would be a nice added bonus.
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