One Yankees Contract Decision Looms Large as the All-Star Break Wraps Up

As the MLB All-Star Break ends, it will be interesting to see how the Yankees view one of their most dynamic players ahead of free agency this winter.

As the MLB All-Star Break concludes, the Yankees have one contract-related decision to make between now and the end of the 2026 season. | USA TODAY Sports

Expectations were high for Jazz Chisholm Jr. ahead of the 2026 MLB season.

After reaching the 30/30 milestone that few Yankees have ever accomplished last season, Chisholm planned to bump those numbers up. His next goal was a 50/50 performance, and it was clear early in 2026 that he wasn't going to get there. Now that the season is at the All-Star Break, it's a matter of whether Chisholm will even finish as a league-average hitter.

The Yankees have seen the best of Chisholm and now the worst, raising the question of whether they should bring him back when he reaches free agency this winter. He has been open about extension talks, but the organization has never broached the subject with him.

Whatever number Chisholm had in mind probably got knocked down some. When asked what Chisholm was looking for last season, he told NJ.com's Randy Miller in February that it was somewhere between eight and 10 years at $35 million per season.

Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s underwhelming 2026 performance is hurting his chances of getting a big-money contract with the Yankees (or any other team). | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It's hard to imagine the Yankees going to those numbers at this point. They'll have to weigh out the positives and negatives of the second baseman. Right now, the way he's hitting this season feels like something of a red flag.

Weighing the positives and negatives of Chisholm

Coming out of the All-Star Break, Chisholm is hitting .223/.303/.395 with a 95 wRC+. Chisholm has 13 home runs with 37 RBI and 26 stolen bases. A lot of Chisholm's underlying numbers have taken a hit as well. While he does own a 76th-percentile 90.7 mph average exit velocity, per Baseball Savant, Chisholm has a .292 xwOBA, .211 xBA, .364 xSLG, with a 40.6% hard-hit rate and a middling 8.8% barrel rate.

Last season, Chisholm owned one of the sport's best barrel rates. His 15% barrel rate was in the 91st percentile in baseball, making his ability to crush baseballs one of the best in the sport.

Despite a poor bat, Chisholm is still making the most of his athleticism. That's the biggest positive of the year. This season, Chisholm has eight outs above average at second base. He also has a 97th-percentile Baserunning Run Value, according to Baseball-Savant. It's this athleticism and speed, which few in the sport have, that has Chisholm sitting at a 2.1 WAR, according to Fangraphs.

Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s season has been far from perfect, but he's still found a way to step up at various times for the Yankees. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That puts Chisholm at sixth in baseball among second basemen in WAR. Above him are the likes of Luis Arráez, who is having a defensive renaissance this year, Brice Turang, and Xavier Edwards.

Another positive for Chisholm is how his entire Yankee tenure has played out. His overall numbers with the team have been solid. Since being traded over at the 2024 deadline, he's hitting .241/.321/.456 with a 117 wRC+. He has 55 homers, 140 RBI, and 75 stolen bases.

Chisholm's 117 wRC+ is tied for second with Gleyber Torres during that span among second basemen. His 8.8 WAR as a Yankee is also the first since he was traded over.

A potential payday for Chisholm

The last second baseman who was as valuable as Chisholm to hit the open market was Marcus Semien. He ended up inking a seven-year, $175 million contract with the Rangers in December 2021—a contract that hasn't aged well, eventually leading to his being traded to the Mets this past offseason.

Is that a number the Yankees would offer Chisholm after a down year? It's a different position, but look at the way they viewed Trent Grisham, who had an extraordinary season last year. They gave him the qualifying offer, and who knows if they would have given him a multi-year deal had he entered the open market.

Chisholm is likely to receive the same qualifying offer next season. Of course, the elephant in the room there is whether there will even be a season next year with the impending lockout, so who knows if he even receives that given the circumstances. It's poor timing for a player who is as dynamic as Chisholm.

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR. HOME RUN IN THE CLUTCH!!! pic.twitter.com/TtJq53f8wR

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 11, 2026

Chisholm can't control what's next for baseball, but what he can do is boost those numbers up a bit. Chisholm has 71 games to be a league-average hitter. Right now, he's a tick below it.

Also, while he is well below the mark of a 50/50 season, there's no reason that 20/20 can't be in reach. If Chisholm accomplishes that, as well as finishing the season with a wRC+ between 100 and 110, how the Yankees and the league will view him is going to be different than where he stands now at the MLB All-Star Break.

Plus, Chisholm brings the type of production the Yankees need at the moment while Judge is out. He's also a vocal leader, expressing that the team needs to play better, and they did just that heading into the break. Now his bat needs to catch up if he wants to extend his playing time in the Bronx.

Needless to say, Chisholm's second-half performance and how it impacts his next contract will be at the forefront of Yankees fans' minds down the stretch.