Jazz Chisholm Jr. isn’t shy about where he wants to play next season, even after the Yankees just got bounced from the ALDS in a Game 3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. The second baseman, who’s about to hit free agency this offseason, came right out and said, “I love it as a Yankee.” He’s a self-proclaimed lifelong fan, growing up in the Bahamas watching Derek Jeter, so yeah, it sounds like the Bronx holds a special place for him.
“Who Doesn’t Want To Stay?” Chisholm’s Plea For The Bronx
Chisholm really laid it all out there, telling reporters postgame, “I had great years with the Yankees, had an All-Star year, had a Silver Slugger year. Yeah, it was great.” You can hear the emotion, right? He’s making it clear he loved his time there. He even posed the question, “who doesn’t want to stay with a team that you’ve had such great times with and great years with?” It’s a fair point for a player who, in 2025, put up arguably the best season of his career. That year, he crushed 31 home runs, drove in 80 RBIs, swiped 31 bases, and posted a 4.1 wins above replacement over 130 games. He had a .242/.332/.481 slash line and even added 2 defensive runs saved at second base, earning him both an All-Star nod and a Silver Slugger honor. The Yankees picked him up from the Miami Marlins before the 2024 trade deadline, initially having him at third base for their World Series run before settling him at second full-time in 2025. It’s clear he’s got history there, both personal and professional.
The Bumpy Road Of 2026 And A Strange Postseason Slump
But here’s the twist: Chisholm’s 2026 season was, well, bumpy. He tallied 19 homers, 55 RBIs, and 41 stolen bases with a .231/.312/.399 slash line and a 97 OPS+ over 137 games, which isn’t terrible, but it’s a step down from his Silver Slugger year. The defense at second base was rough, too, with -6 defensive runs saved. Then came the playoffs. He committed a throwing error in the first inning of Game 2 of the ALDS that let the Rays score a run, and he only managed two hits in the entire postseason, starting just three of the Yankees’ five games. And get this: Chisholm has hit .182 in the postseason in each of his three years with the Yankees from 2024 to 2026. That’s a weird stat to carry into free agency, isn’t it? It makes his strong desire to stay even more fascinating.
This upcoming offseason is going to be a wild one for Chisholm, who will be 29 when the 2027 season kicks off. The Yankees have a tough decision to make. Do they bring back a player who clearly wants to be there and has shown All-Star potential, even with a down year and a postseason slump? Or do they look to their own roster? They’ve already given shortstop Anthony Volpe playing time at second base, especially down the stretch and into the postseason, and rookie phenom George Lombard Jr. is now a fixture at shortstop. It’s a classic baseball dilemma: loyalty and past performance versus current form and future internal options. What moves do you think they’ll make? The rumor mill is about to go into overdrive.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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