New York Yankees Star Jazz Chisholm Has Never Been in More Danger

When the New York Yankees acquired Jazz Chisholm in a midseason trade with the Miami Marlins back in 2024, they were hoping he would provide them with a major spark in a lineup that lacked depth.

It worked.

Chisholm went on to slash .273/.325/.500 in 46 games with the Yankees that season, and last year, his first full campaign in the Bronx, the All-Star second baseman smashed 31 home runs to go along with 31 stolen bases.

Now, Chisholm is entering his final year before free agency, and he has made it clear that he is expecting a hefty pay day.

Chisholm has already said he is seeking a decade-long contract worth in the neighborhood of $35 million annually. That's bordering on Aaron Judge money.

Will he get it? Almost certainly not. Not even in this market. But the fact that he is aiming for it means he knows he must perform at an incredibly high level in 2026.

Chisholm also stated he is looking to post a 50-50 campaign this year, which lines up perfectly with his lofty contract demands.

It's great that Chisholm has set some sky-high goals for himself, but it also puts him — and the Yankees — in a tremendously dangerous position heading into the new season.

Chisholm already has a long swing as it is. He struck out 148 times in 531 plate appearances in 2025, and he owns a lifetime strikeout rate of 27.6 percent.

For reference, that is just below Giancarlo Stanton, who is at 28.7 percent. It's also right on par with Aaron Judge, who is at 27.4 percent.

The difference? Stanton and Judge have made a career out of being prolific power hitters. Chisholm is not there yet.

Does the 28-year-old have the ability to smash 50 homers? It seems doubtful considering he has only hit 20 twice in his career. Albeit, he's had a lot of injuries, but I just don't think Chisholm has 50-homer power. Not even as a left-handed bat in Yankee Stadium.

You do have to wonder if Chisholm will be focusing so much on slugging home runs in 2026 that he'll forget about the overall vision of the team, and that's where the concern comes into play.

Chisholm is a significant part of what New York wants to accomplish this season. He is probably the team's fifth-best hitter behind Judge, Stanton, Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice. You could make the argument he is fourth.

The Yanks need him to have a strong year, and while it would obviously be incredible if Chisholm did clobber 50 long balls while swiping 50 bags, it just doesn't seem very realistic.

If Chisholm zeroes in too much on himself and his upcoming free agency, it could absolutely sabotage both his and the Yankees' season, so his offseason comments are definitely a bit alarming.

Hopefully, Chisholm is able to channel the energy positively and enjoys the best year of his career, because there is the chance that he applies far too much pressure on himself and becomes a massive disappointment in 2026.

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