Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s slow start has the New York Yankees in a tough contract position this winter.
- Early-season metrics show a significant drop in Chisholm Jr.'s power numbers and expected production for the player.
- The Yankees front office faces a choice between a long-term commitment and letting the player test the open market later this year.
The New York Yankees can afford a Jazz Chisholm Jr. extension. Heck, they can afford Chisholm Jr. and then some. However, if we've learned anything about how Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman operate the last few winters, it's that they don't take unnecessary swings. That's a measurement Chisholm Jr. himself could learn a thing or two about.
Before the 2026 MLB season, Chisholm Jr. declared himself a 50-50 candidate. While he's doing just fine in the stolen base department, he overestimated his impact with the bat in his hands, especially as it pertains to his own power. A tough start from Chisholm Jr. could bring his Yankees future into question. It's a contract year, after all, and the Yankees have a tough decision to make this coming winter.
What's gone wrong for Jazz Chisholm Jr. and the Yankees this season
For what it's worth, the Yankees are one of the few teams that have performed up to expectations so far this season. Sitting at first place in the AL East, they are just a handful of teams in the American League over .500 as of this writing. Yet, that has little to do with Chisholm Jr., whose early-season metrics rightly have Yankees fans concerned.
As noted by MLB.com, Chisholm Jr. is lacking in the power department. Barring a surge (which is still possible for a player of his caliber), he's not even on pace for 15 home runs, let alone 50. Chisholm Jr. has just three home runs on the season and started the campaign with a 23-game power drought. Year-over-year, he's recorded the fifth-largest drop in barrel rate (8.4 points) and third-largest drop in expected slugging percentage (.151). It's not a great look for a player pursuing a large contract at the end of the season.
Per NJ.com's Randy Miller, Chisholm Jr. is seeking a contract of 8-10 years with an average AAV above $35 million annually. That's a huge commitment, and not one the Yankees will be eager to give out should their star second baseman not turn things around in a big way.
Should the Yankees sign Jazz Chisholm Jr. to a new contract?
Right now, there isn't much of a conversation to be had about a new contract for Chisholm Jr. Prior to the season, signing him long term was in the Yankees best interest. However, after a subpar World Baseball Classic and now a brutal start to the 2026 season, Cashman and Steinbrenner are more likely to take a wait-and-see approach and judge their chances in the winter.
Even if Chisholm Jr. rebounds, it might not come in time for the Yankees to extend him. Contract extensions rarely take place in the middle of the season, and Chisholm Jr. could be the best position player available in the 2026-27 offseason.
Player | Position | Age at FA | Option |
|---|---|---|---|
Ronald Acuña Jr. | OF | 29 | $17M club option |
Bo Bichette | INF | 29 | Opt-out of remaining two years, $84M |
Jazz Chisholm Jr. | 2B | 29 | N/A |
George Springer | OF/DH | 37 | N/A |
Randy Arozarena | OF | 32 | N/A |
Seiya Suzuki | OF/DH | 32 | N/A |
Daulton Varsho | OF | 30 | N/A |
Trent Grisham | OF | 30 | N/A |
Yandy Diaz | 1B/DH | 35 | $10M Club Option |
Ian Happ | OF | 32 | N/A |
Acuña Jr. is unlikely to hit the open market, while Bichette is having a down year of his own on the rival Mets. So, if Chisholm Jr. can find his old form, there's a good chance he prices himself out of the Bronx. This is doubly true if an extended lockout comes to fruition.
I have nothing against Chisholm Jr. personally, and I hope he gets paid. Odds are, some contending team will take a chance on him. But given the Yankees young middle-infield talent, which includes top prospect George Lombard Jr., there's little reason to give in to his unreasonable demands. The Yankees can spend that money elsewhere.
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