Jazz Chisholm Jr. will leave the New York Yankees in free agency, The Athletic reporter Chris Kirschner predicted Tuesday. And on the same day, MLB analyst Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report weighed in with his prediction on where Chisholm will sign.
A 98 wRC+ and 3.5 fWAR left Chisholm’s 2026 value resting mostly on baserunning and defense, so the Yankees must decide whether that profile merits a new deal.
“His talent is undeniable,” Kirschner wrote. The red flags, in his analysis, include an expected weighted on-base average ranking 13th worst among qualified hitters, some of baseball’s weakest bat-to-ball skills and occasional focus lapses. Chisholm earned $10.2 million this season.
Chisholm, a Nassau, Bahamas, native, signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks as an international free agent on July 5, 2015. The Miami Marlins acquired him on July 31, 2019, for pitcher Zac Gallen, and New York landed him on July 27, 2024, for catcher Agustín Ramírez and infielders Jared Serna and Abrahan Ramírez, according to MLB.com.
In 403 games with Miami before the trade, he hit .246 with 66 home runs and 81 stolen bases, the same announcement showed.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. Landing Spots Beyond the New York Yankees
The Toronto Blue Jays top the list of Chisholm’s five best landing spots, followed by the Detroit Tigers, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels and Cincinnati Reds, according to Rymer, who ended up predicting that the two-time All-Star lands in Southern California.
“Chisholm could be in for a multi-year deal. Yet after falling well short of his 50-50 goal and posting just 1.7 rWAR this year, the 28-year-old might be better off pursuing a one-year contract and reentering the market next winter. The Angels are just one of many teams that would have to be interested in such a deal,” Rymer wrote.
Toronto ranked last in the Major Leagues with 648 runs scored, and Ernie Clement posted a .442 OPS across August and September, Feinsand noted.
Detroit has an opening at second base with Gleyber Torres hitting free agency again, and Feinsand identified a left-handed bat and speed as the lineup’s needs.
The Angels’ second basemen posted a .620 OPS, last in the American League, and the franchise’s pending sale to Stan Kroenke is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, Rymer wrote.
“Depending on when the sale is finalized, signing Chisholm would also be a relatively low-risk way for Stan Kroenke to ingratiate himself with his new fanbase. Even if a one-year deal for Chisholm is valued at $20-plus million, he can afford it,” the B/R analyst wrote.
“To see it maybe end here sucks, but it’s part of the business,” Chisholm said following the Yankees’ elimination from the postseason last week, as quoted by The Athletic. He becomes a free agent once the World Series ends.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. Free Agency Outlook for New York Yankees
Chisholm delivered a 30-30 season in 2025 with 4.3 fWAR, according to Sports Illustrated. In 2026, he slashed .231/.312/.399 with 19 home runs and a career-high 41 steals, and his 7.8 fWAR over two seasons trails only Brice Turang and Nico Hoerner among second basemen.
Industry sentiment points the same direction: New York is prepared to turn elsewhere, with Luis García Jr. and Anthony Volpe among the in-house options at second base, according to MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand.
Chisholm struck out 157 times in 532 plate appearances, a 29.5% rate.
An anonymous executive quoted by Feinsand pegged a fair deal at three to four years averaging roughly $20 million, well below the eight to 10 years and $35 million annually Chisholm reportedly sought. A qualifying offer would cost about $23 million.
Yankees Predicted to Lose Jazz Chisholm to Angels in Free Agency