Teams have shown interest in the infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. And the Yankees are listening, according to reports by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com and Jeff Passan of ESPN. There are no reports that the Yanks are buying him or possibly moving him, but it is worth noting that other clubs are exploring the possibility.
It’s surprising that the clubs would call, as Chisholm is very good and is coming off a good season of his career so far. He hit 31 home runs and stole 31 bases this year. His 27.9% strikeout rate is high but nothing new about him, and his 10.9% walk rate was the best. His .242 / .332 / .481 batting line led to 126 WLC, showing that he was much better than league average at the plate.
Defensively, he played a good amount of second and third base in the first half. The yanks finally found out Ryan McMahon and put him in the hot corner, allowing Chisholm to settle in as usual in the second start. Chisholm was credited with two runs saved and eight more than average on the season. Put it all together and the fans consider him worth 4.4 more wins instead.
That performance makes him shine a lot and his contract status does as well. Chisholm is under club control for one season with MLBTR influencer Math Swartz netting him a salary of $10.2mm the following year. That’s less than half of this year’s eligible contribution of $22.025mm.
All of these things make Chisholm very valuable to the Yankees in 2026 but he may not be in their long-term plans. It looks like he has more interest in expansion than the team has. It may not be the fault of Chisholm himself, as the Yanks don’t make many extensions, with just three in the last ten years and none in the last six years. General manager Brian Cashman told Hoch this week that the club is “open-minded” about trade advances from other clubs as they seek renewed development.
In addition to bringing back the stripes, Chishoolm’s trade will balance the line, as Cashman told HOCH that it was left too far. They have two big good bats inside Aaron’s judge and Giyarlo Stanton But Chishololm is one of several times, alongside McMahon, Trent Grisham, Rice and Austin Springs. Benches, guys Jc scarara and Jorbit Vivas and remain, while Jason domínguz and Oswaldo Cabrera they are switch-hitters, with domínguez hitting better on the left. Check it out Spencer Joneswho could work his way into the picture this year, and it’s over.
Trading Chisholm will leave a hole in the middle infield in the short term. Law enforcement Anthony Volpe recently had shoulder surgery and is expected to start 2026 on the injured list. That will leave José Caballero in short to start the season. Amed rosario he’s just signed but he’s actually been a short platoon guy, as he’s good at scoring chances. Check it out George Lombard Jr. It could be a snapshot of the future but right now he is only 20 years old and has not reached triple-a. Vivas and Cabree are mixed as bench / usage boys alongside Rosario.
Between Lombard, Volpe and Caballero, maybe the Yankees feel they have enough to cover the middle infield in the long run. But in 2026, Volpe’s uncertain health and the lack of Lombard make Chishoolm a good bridge.
It’s possible that the payroll is forcing the club to consider a trade now, which is a strange thing to say about the Yankees. Owner Hal Steinbrenner once expressed a desire to spend less than $300mm. Cashman was tight-lipped about whether the club would take that figure in 2026. RosterResource has now achieved a net profit of $261mm with a competitive tax calculation of $285mm.
Trading Chisholm wouldn’t save a ton but would allow them to bolster their roster without going to free agency. They are known to want a balanced development and can look to strengthen their finances. And it’s realistically possible to imagine the Yankees trading Chisholm for a ride, followed by a pivot to free agency to bring him back, driving their payroll concerns. Bo bichette and Ha-seong kim they are still there in the open market.
Front offices often process all kinds of trade situations that don’t come through. The secondary market currently has many theoretical opportunities that could lead anywhere. There have been a lot of rumors and rumors going around Ketel Marte of diamonds, Brendan Donovan of cardinals, Jeff McNeil of the mets, Brandon Lowe radiation too Jake croneyth of the fathers. With those other options, that would reduce what teams offer to the Yankees. On the other hand, neither of those guys is a lock to move, so maybe teams are exploring all possible options. Clubs such as the Giants, Mariners, Pirates, Rangers, Astros and others are tied for second round picks.
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