Yankees predicted to replace Jazz Chisholm with $12M two-time Silver Slugger winner, 4x All-Star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Yankees have a big offseason ahead after getting swept by their division rival, the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees wanted to make a deep postseason run, but ultimately fell short.
All eyes are now on free agents and players who could leave the team. One of those players is Jazz Chisholm Jr., but he would like to stay in New York.
“Chisholm, an All-Star for the second time in 2025, endured a down year at the plate and struggled both offensively and defensively in four appearances in the playoffs. Manager Aaron Boone left Chisholm out of the Yankees' starting lineup for two postseason games, including their season-ending loss on Wednesday. The fans at Yankee Stadium booed Chisholm after he fouled out to first base as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the seventh inning. Nevertheless, Chisholm would rather continue his career with the Yankees than exit in free agency," MLB Trade Rumors wrote.
Early in Chisholm’s career, he wasn’t always the best player off the field. Yankees legend Derek Jeter even had to get on him when he was an owner of the Miami Marlins.
“When Jazz was in Miami, Derek Jeter was there as the owner and Don Mattingly was the manager. That's two great Yankees who understood tradition and played the game right. They both met with Chisholm on repeated occasions and begged him to get his head straight," NJ.com's Bob Klapisch wrote.
Now, it is just a matter of whether the Yankees bring Chisholm back. Sports Illustrated’s Joe Najarian believes the Yankees should sign Luis Arraez instead.
“This hinges on whether the Yankees choose to bring back Jazz Chisholm Jr., but it seems more than likely that they will let him walk. Regardless, the Bronx Bombers still need a player with good bat-to-ball skills to make the lineup less polarizing, and nobody makes contact more consistently than Luis Arraez,” Najarian wrote. “Despite Arraez's production dipping after being traded at the deadline to the Philadelphia Phillies, the 29-year-old enjoyed a bounce-back year by hitting .310 with a solid .765 OPS. He did that while striking out just 28 times in 596 plate appearances.”
The second baseman has one of the most consistent bats in the game, at least when it comes to making contact. Arraez has also won two Silver Slugger Awards and earned four All-Star selections.
Arraez played under a $12 million contract this past season. Bringing him to New York could give the Yankees more consistency in their lineup, as he has demonstrated an ability to put the ball in play regularly.
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