Jazz Chisholm's performance with the Yankees is falling short of expectations as he aims for a $350 million contract and a 50-50 season. His struggles suggest he may not achieve these ambitious goals.
Jazz Chisholm's Yankees Struggles are Worse Than You Even Thought
New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm entered the 2026 MLB campaign with sky-high expectations for himself.
Knowing that he is slated to hit free agency at the end of the year, Chisholm began positioning himself to earn a massive contract, stating that he is aiming for $350 million. He also revealed that he has goals for a 50-50 season.
Well, barring a miracle, it doesn't appear that Chisholm is going to hit any of those marks.
Entering the Yankees' Saturday night matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers, Chisholm was slashing .203/.284/.326 with four home runs and 13 RBI. Yes he does have 11 stolen bases, but everything else has been a disaster.
Chisholm's offensive struggles have bled into his defense, as well, as he has posted minus-4 defensive runs saved thus far this year.
The worst part about Chisholm's issues at the dish? The advanced metrics don't exactly paint a pretty picture, and Alexander Wilson of Empire Sports Media delved into it.
New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.
"The surface stats are bad. The advanced metrics are worse," Wilson wrote. "Chisholm ranks in the 30th percentile in hard-hit rate, 35th in barrel rate, and 37th in average exit velocity this season. He’s whiffing on 30.5% of his swings and ranks in the 26th percentile in strikeout rate. Those numbers place him among the least productive offensive players in the sport right now, not just below average, genuinely among the worst."
Jazz Chisholm aims for a $350 million contract and a 50-50 season.
Chisholm's underperformance could jeopardize his chances of securing a lucrative contract as he approaches free agency.
Jazz Chisholm is struggling to meet the high expectations set for himself as the 2026 MLB season progresses.
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Chisholm got off to a slow start last season, as well, but he wasn't this bad, which leads you to believe he might be pressing.
The worst mistake Chisholm made was placing such lofty expectations upon his shoulders heading into the campaign. In a sense, the 28-year-old may have sabotaged himself with his own self-imposed pressure before the season even started.
And let's be real: even if Chisholm had a similar year to last season, when he smashed 31 homers, swiped 31 bags and posted an .813 OPS, he wasn't getting $350 million.
At this point, I'm not sure anyone will even offer the left-handed slugger $200 million, and with New York having George Lombard Jr. in the minor leagues, Chisholm's time in the Bronx appears to be short lived.
While there is ample time for Chisholm to turn things around in 2026, his struggles are starting to become alarming, and while he is probably safe with the Yankees this year, his future with the team is becoming more and more clear.
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