Why Jazz Chisholm Jr. could accept lesser contract from Yankees

This season has not gone the way Jazz Chisholm Jr. envisioned it. 

At the beginning of the year, the New York Yankees second baseman said he wanted to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases. 

The impending free agent is gonna need one hell of a September to accomplish the feat. And while he's still a valuable player, Chisholm's performance as a whole in 2026 feels like a letdown. 

It could force him to accept a one-year qualifying offer from the Yankees. Otherwise, it's hard to imagine the two-time All-Star receiving the sizeable contract he seeks. 

"Among the top free agents, Chisholm is one of the few still in his 20s, which could bode well for him as he seeks a new deal," MLB.com's Mark Feinsand wrote Wednesday. "The Yankees could also extend a qualifying offer to Chisholm, one he might consider accepting given his down season." 

Feinsand ranked Chisholm as one of the top 10 free agents for the upcoming offseason. 

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Chisholm has openly said he loves playing for the Yankees. Do the Yankees love having him on the roster? 

Despite some of his antics, you'd have to imagine the Yankees have some level of interest in bringing the left-handed hitter back. There aren't many Major League second basemen as talented as him. 

But New York's front office could have some concerns with Chisholm's increase in strikeout percentage and lack of focus on the basepaths. 

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