The New York Yankees are not expected to extend a qualifying offer to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. this offseason, according to a report from New York Post beat writer Greg Joyce that gained widespread attention Saturday.
The report, first detailed in Joyce’s Friday analysis of the team’s upcoming roster challenges, indicates the club will allow the pending free agent to hit the open market without the one-year tender that typically accompanies draft-pick compensation.
Chisholm, 28, is in the final months of a one-year, $10.2 million contract he signed in January to avoid arbitration. He has spent the entire 2026 season with the Yankees after arriving via trade from the Miami Marlins in July 2024.
Through 113 games this season, Chisholm is batting .216 with 17 home runs, 48 RBIs and 31 stolen bases. His on-base-plus-slugging percentage sits at .685, a noticeable drop from the previous year when he posted a .242 average, 31 homers and 31 steals while earning All-Star recognition.
Joyce wrote that given Chisholm’s performance, “I don’t see the Yankees making him a qualifying offer.” He added that the infielder “seems like a prime candidate to take a one-year pillow contract somewhere (a la Gleyber Torres) to try to rebuild his value.”
The qualifying offer for the coming offseason is projected near $23.1 million, up from the $22.025 million figure used last winter. Joyce noted any short-term deal Chisholm might accept elsewhere would likely fall below that threshold.
Chisholm’s decline at the plate has coincided with a season of roster flux for the Yankees. Key contributors such as Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton have spent significant time on the injured list, forcing the club to rely on depth and midseason acquisitions.
Despite the offensive struggles, Chisholm has remained a regular at second base and continues to provide speed on the bases. His 31 steals rank among the American League leaders and underscore the athleticism that made him an attractive target when the Yankees acquired him two summers ago.
Before joining New York, Chisholm spent parts of five seasons with the Marlins, where injuries limited his availability but flashes of power-speed production earned him an All-Star nod in 2022. In pinstripes he stabilized his health and delivered a breakout 2025 campaign that raised expectations heading into this year.
Those expectations have not been fully met. Chisholm’s strikeout rate remains elevated, and his overall production places him among the lower tier of qualified hitters by weighted runs created plus. Still, his ability to play multiple infield positions and occasional outfield gives him defensive versatility that could appeal to other clubs.
The Yankees have shown little public interest in a long-term extension. Earlier this year Chisholm expressed a desire to remain in New York and indicated he would seek a multiyear deal in the range of $35 million annually if free agency arrived. No such discussions appear to have gained traction.
Allowing Chisholm to reach free agency without a qualifying offer means the Yankees would forgo any compensatory draft pick should he sign elsewhere. That decision reflects both his current statistical output and the club’s broader payroll and roster priorities as it prepares for 2027.
Rival teams have previously inquired about Chisholm’s availability in trade talks, though the Yankees elected to keep him through the non-waiver deadline. With free agency now approaching, those clubs and others could reengage once the season concludes.
Chisholm has maintained that free agency pressure has not affected his approach, though teammates have discussed the mental side of the process with him. He remains focused on contributing down the stretch as the Yankees push for a postseason berth.
Whether he ultimately signs a short-term deal to rebuild value or lands a longer commitment will depend on how the final weeks of the regular season unfold and how clubs evaluate his overall skill set against the available free-agent class.
For now, the expectation is that the dynamic Bahamian will explore options outside the Bronx this winter.
