NEW YORK — The New York Yankees are pressing pause on contract extension talks with Jazz Chisholm Jr. this offseason, even though the infielder has been vocal about his desire to stay in pinstripes. League insiders say the decision may not be coincidence, as a Tampa Bay Rays second baseman has surfaced as a possible trade target.
Chisholm capped 2025 with a historic 30-home run, 30-stolen base season, joining only Alfonso Soriano and Bobby Bonds as Yankees to achieve the milestone. Despite his breakout, the Yankees appear reluctant to commit resources until they weigh all options at second base.
Extension unlikely before spring training
Greg Joyce of the New York Post reported an extension is improbable before the 2026 season begins. The Yankees are taking a patient approach with Chisholm, who is heading into the final year of team control.
“Entering his walk year, he wants to stay long term, though an extension is unlikely before the season starts,” Joyce wrote.
Chisholm agreed to a one-year, $5.85 million deal in January 2025 to avoid arbitration. If no long-term contract is reached, he will become a free agent after the 2026 season. At 27, the Bahamian native has expressed his preference to remain in New York and has even suggested he would consider a discount for security.
Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reported that Chisholm’s representatives had brief discussions with the front office during the 2025 season. Those talks never advanced.
“Nothing substantial,” Chisholm told the Daily News. “If they come close to the number, yeah, for sure. I’m really more focused on playing right now, and I feel like that’s why we haven’t really talked about it.”
Yankees weighing multiple infield scenarios
The Yankees’ hesitation could be linked to internal evaluations of other infield possibilities. Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe has drawn attention as a trade candidate. The left-handed hitting veteran matched Chisholm’s 31 homers in 2025, tying for the most among second basemen.
Lowe, 31, has played all eight seasons with Tampa Bay, hitting .247 with 157 homers and a .807 OPS. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden ranked him among the top 10 trade targets of the offseason, noting the Rays’ history of moving established players before free agency.
“The 31-year-old will be a free agent after next season, and if they’re ever going to trade him, the time is now,” Bowden wrote.
Tampa Bay exercised Lowe’s $10.5 million club option for 2025 and controls another option worth $11.5 million for 2026. The Yankees and Astros are among teams linked to his services.
Jazz Chisholm’s breakout in Bronx
Since being acquired at the 2024 deadline from Miami, Chisholm has reshaped his career. His 30-30 campaign put him in rare company alongside Soriano (2002) and Bonds (1975).
Despite missing a month with an oblique injury, Chisholm appeared in 134 games in 2025. He finished with a .251 average, 30 homers, 30 steals, and a .820 OPS. In 170 games as a Yankee, his production equals 6.7 fWAR — nearly matching what he totaled in five years with the Marlins.
“The impact I’ve had in New York so far, I definitely want to stay in New York,” Chisholm said in September.
Manager Aaron Boone moved him between second and third base, relying on his athleticism. Chisholm graded in the 87th percentile defensively at second base with a plus-2 Fielding Run Value.
Fitting Lowe into Yankees plans
A trade for Lowe would force a lineup reshuffle. Chisholm has proven versatile, but Lowe’s addition could create overlap. Lowe’s bat would play at Yankee Stadium, where the short right-field porch favors left-handed power.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan floated the idea earlier in 2025 that Lowe could slot in at second base while Chisholm manned third. That setup could provide two middle infielders with elite pop.
“Filling their hole at second base made the most sense,” Passan wrote. “Regardless of what the Yankees do, Lowe’s left-handed stroke and the short porch in right field feel like a match made in heaven.”
Financial considerations complicate extension
Projections suggest Chisholm could secure a seven-year deal in the $140 million to $170 million range, with some estimates climbing near $200 million if his production holds.
The Yankees prefer to delay extensions until a fuller evaluation is possible. Waiting until after 2026 would allow them to measure Chisholm’s durability and output while keeping other roster options alive.
Marcus Semien’s seven-year, $175 million contract with Texas provides a comparison, though Chisholm’s youth could push his value higher.
A long-term deal now would restrict financial flexibility, especially if Lowe or other players become available.
Rays motivated to move Lowe
Tampa Bay has payroll concerns, compounded by storm-related damage to Tropicana Field and broadcast uncertainty. Lowe’s $10.5 million salary makes up about 12 percent of the projected 2025 payroll.
The Rays have a track record of trading players at peak value. Lowe, entering his age-31 season and nearing free agency, fits the profile of a movable asset.
“He wasn’t our problem,” Rays president Erik Neander said at season’s end. “I can at least speak to the fact that he’s still here and he wasn’t moved at the Deadline as some sort of indicator for just how we feel about him.”
What happens next
The Yankees face another winter of hard decisions after failing to return to the ALCS in 2025. Chisholm’s situation is one of several key roster questions.
Talks could resume during spring training, but the lack of urgency points to other priorities. Whether Lowe factors in depends on Tampa Bay’s asking price and the Yankees’ willingness to pay it in a division deal.
For now, Chisholm enters 2026 without the extension he hoped for. His star power is undeniable, but the Yankees are holding onto flexibility. That strategy may protect their long-term interests, but it leaves their breakout infielder without the security he seeks.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
