Jazz Chisholm Jr. Takes Huge Step Back in Pursuit of Big Yankees Contract

One year removed from Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s big 30/30 season, he's facing a tough 2026 for the New York Yankees, and he isn't making things any easier on himself.

New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) reacts after being called out before replay overturned the play, resulting in an infield single during the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s year can be summed up in one at-bat. The New York Yankees were up 2-0 in the top of the 6th inning. Aaron Judge had just scorched a double down the left field line, and Cody Bellinger's groundball brought him over to third. With one out, Chisholm had a chance to put even more room between the Yankees and Baltimore, but fell short as he has done far too often this year.

Against reliever Dietrich Enns, Chisholm swung through a cutter that was down the heart of the plate. He then fouled off a fastball that he probably would have done damage on last year. The at-bat ended on a sweeper that Chisholm whiffed on. Next up was Ryan McMahon, but he grounded out.

The Yankees ended up losing 3-2 when the ever-dependable Brent Headrick gave up a big blast to Coby Mayo, and maybe things would have turned out a little differently if Chisholm had brought that runner home. The game ended up being a low point in the second baseman's year, and he didn't make things any easier on himself when he decided to ignore reporters after the game.

Ryan Weathers could only watch from the dugout as the lead disappeared pic.twitter.com/TLFVvc7ryH

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) May 12, 2026

When Chisholm was approached following the 3-2 loss, he gave a sullen "no" to anyone who asked him about the night's game. According to the Athletic's Chris Kirschner, Chisholm would instead take questions on Tuesday. No player wants to talk about how poorly they're doing, but it's still a part of the gig nonetheless.

Taking accountability

On a night when Chisholm went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, he was one of the biggest storylines from the game. Those are the moments when players need to make themselves available to the press. It's more important to be open during the low times than when a player is a hero for a day. In New York, it's one of those unspoken taboos, and a lack of accountability won't go over well, whether from fans or the front office that Chisholm hopes to see a big payday from in the winter.

This isn't the first time Chisholm has had tense moments with reporters, either. The last time it happened was during the postseason in 2025. Manager Aaron Boone didn't put him in the game one lineup against a tough lefty in Garrett Crochet, and when asked about it after the loss, Chisholm did answer, but he had his back turned to reporters.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. had his back turned to the media when they were asking how he felt about not being in the starting lineup pic.twitter.com/vTNKOyzYdy

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) October 1, 2025

It was an example in which Chisholm drew unnecessary attention to himself, and after that first road loss to the Orioles, it was another. Now it begs the question of what his future will look like, and if the Yankees have any plans to bring him back.

The numbers aren't any better

It's still early in the season, and there's more than enough time for Chisholm to turn things around, but so far, he has been one of the team's worst hitters. Chisholm is hitting .201/.281/.322 with four home runs.

On top of that, his peripherals show a struggling player who isn't displaying signs that a bounce-back is coming any time soon. He has a .191 xBA, .319 xSLG, an 88.5 MPH average exit velocity, a 6.1% barrel rate, a 36% hard hit rate, and a paltry 28.2% strikeout rate.

New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) strikes out during the fourth inning at T-Mobile Park. | John Froschauer-Imagn Images

The struggles on the field are one thing. If Chisholm isn't doing the little things, answering questions and holding himself accountable during the bad games, how could the Yankees conceivably pay him what he's looking for? The Yankees liked Cody Bellinger a ton, and there were moments last winter when it felt like the dynamic outfielder could be headed to Flushing.

If they were willing to let Bellinger go, just imagine how they operate with Chisholm, who is showing them some glaring red flags just before heading into free agency that go well past what's happening on the field. It's not to say that answering questions correctly will yield results. If that's the case, Boone would have multiple championship rings on his finger, and his mantras of "turning the corner" would actually amount to something.

Situations like these can heavily influence the club's decision when a player is about to become an unrestricted free agent. That's especially true in the Hal Steinbrenner era, where high-dollar extensions are harder to come by than they were under the Boss.

One thing the Yankees are probably asking themselves here is: what does an incident like this look like when Chisholm has a $100 million deal in his pocket? It may be one inquiry they don't intend to see through in 2027.

There's still time for Chisholm to reclaim his season. Even if he does, though, can his probable standing within the organization be salvaged?