After a lost 2026 season that exposed the Mariners’ offense and infield defense, Seattle could use a player who changes both. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is that kind of gamble: a free-agent second baseman with power, speed and enough positional flexibility to fill more than one hole.
Chisholm, who turns 29 in February, is heading toward unrestricted free agency after one year at $10.2 million with the New York Yankees.
It was a down year at the plate. He entered the final days of the season hitting about .233 with 19 home runs, more than 40 stolen bases and a roughly league-average offensive line. That is a step back from 2025, when he posted career highs of 31 homers and an .813 OPS.
The tools are still rare. Few available infielders can threaten 20 homers and 40 steals in the same season. Defensive metrics split on his glove, but he has played second base every day and has enough third-base experience to give Seattle options if Colt Emerson is the shortstop and Brendan Donovan’s health remains a question.
That is why Chisholm fits the Mariners better than a one-position veteran. Seattle needs a right-handed impact bat if Randy Arozarena leaves. It also needs fewer adventures on the infield.
Chisholm would not solve every defensive problem, but he would give the club an athlete who can play second, slide to third and run the bases in a park that often mutes slugging.
The price is the issue.
In March, Chisholm told NJ.com he was thinking in terms of eight to 10 years at about $35 million per season. Just Baseball called that historic for a primary second baseman and noted that Marcus Semien and Jose Altuve set the recent AAV bar closer to $25 million.
Yahoo Sports projected that a strong walk year would push his market above $20 million annually. MLB Trade Rumors went further in its free-agent rankings, writing that matching his 2025 production could set him up for a nine-figure contract.
A more realistic landing spot, given the 2026 slump, is a four- or five-year deal in the $80 million to $110 million range, possibly with an opt-out if Chisholm wants to bet on a rebound. A qualifying offer from the Yankees would also cost Seattle a draft pick.
The Mariners have young pieces at second and in the outfield. Signing Chisholm would be a statement that they do not want to wait on those players to carry a lineup that scored too little this year. It would also be a bet that the 2024-25 version of Chisholm, not the 2026 version, is the one who shows up at T-Mobile Park.
If Seattle is willing to pay for upside instead of safety, Chisholm is one of the few free agents who can still look like a star.
