Yankees infielder’s pending free agency is ‘weighing on him’: He’s ‘lost right now’

TL;DR

Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. is struggling in a contract year, with poor performance affecting his mental health. He has a negative WAR and is feeling the pressure as he approaches free agency.

Key points

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is struggling in a contract year.
He has a negative WAR of -0.3 this season.
His recent performance includes 3 hits and 11 strikeouts in 23 at-bats.
Mental health issues may be affecting his performance.
The pressure of free agency is weighing on him.

YankeesJazz Chisholm Jr.

There’s struggling, and then there’s what Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. is doing right now.

In a contract year, Chisholm is failing the audition. And according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, appearing on “DiPietro and Rothenberg” on ESPN New York, the fix might be less about mechanics and more about mental health.

“If you told me today when we get the lineup, that Aaron Boone is saying, ‘You know what, we’re going to give you 24-48 hours, let you work on some things,’ because he’s kind of lost right now,” Olney said in a YouTube video.

“Three for his last 23, 11 strikeouts. His WAR this year, (minus)-0.3. His negative war on the season, (which is) so important to him because he’s a free agent in the fall, I think it’s absolutely weighing on him.”

Overall, Chisholm is batting .201/.281/.322 with four home runs and 14 RBIs.

We’ve seen it before — Pete Alonso’s rough stretch last year is a recent example that Dave Rothenberg raised on the show — where the weight of a looming payday negatively affects performance.

Chisholm came into this season with enormous expectations: He predicted a 50-50 season.

But the early-season numbers suggest a player whose confidence has cratered, and when that happens, the swing gets longer, the approach gets scattered, and the strikeouts pile up fast.

The solution, at least according to Olney, isn’t a mechanical overhaul or a lineup change. It’s breathing room. A chance to step back to reset the mind, and remember how to just play baseball.

Olney noted that so many players who’ve been through this eventually reach a point of clarity — the realization that chasing a monster contract with every single swing is the surest way not to get one.

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Q&A

What is Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s current performance in the MLB?

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is 3 for his last 23 at-bats with 11 strikeouts, resulting in a negative WAR of -0.3 this season.

How is Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s pending free agency affecting him?

Chisholm's impending free agency is weighing heavily on him, contributing to his struggles and feelings of being 'lost' on the field.

What did Buster Olney say about Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s situation?

Buster Olney mentioned that Chisholm's issues might be more related to mental health than mechanical problems, suggesting he needs time to work on his game.