The buzz around extending Jazz Chisholm is growing among Yankees‘ fans, as the left-handed infielder is off to a fast start with four home runs in just six games. He’s continued to be an impactful power bat in the middle of their offense since being acquired from the Marlins at the trade deadline, totaling 15 home runs in just 52 games since putting on the pinstripes. His smooth infield glove coupled with blazing speed makes Chisholm the kind of all-around player the Yankees have dreamed of having for years.
Mike Axisa of CBS Sports pondered if an $80 million extension, similar to the years and AAV offered to Ryan McMahon by the Rockies that locked him up for the long haul, could get a deal done for the Yankees. Extensions often allow teams to secure a player before they hit free agency at a price below what they would get if they were on the open market, but it also forgoes the years of cheap control a team can get in arbitration.
What Would It Take For Jazz Chisholm Ink Extension With the Yankees?
There is no report that confirms whether Jazz Chisholm is open to an extension or not, but we do have a precedent with the Yankees who have rarely negotiated in-season about an extension. They prefer to do that in the offseason, and I doubt these two sides will reach an agreement on a deal or even begin serious talks until the conclusion of the 2025 season. Perhaps they make an exception if they really like the player, but it may not be best for Chisholm to worry about those kinds of things during a critical season.
Furthermore, the Yankees might want to wait until they see the totality of Chisholm’s 2025 season rather than extending him after a white-hot start. As for the number that would get a deal done after the season, a six-year $80 million offer might be a good starting point, but it would likely fail to convince Jazz Chisholm to stick with the team long-term if financial security and landing top-dollar are among his priorities. A free agent after the 2026 campaign, Jazz Chisholm will hit the market ahead of his age-29 season and could make some serious money as a result.
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If Jazz Chisholm wraps up a season where he’s close to a 5-WAR player after last year, he could be on-pace to land a nine-figure contract if he hits free agency. This is where the Yankees could strike while the iron is hot; a six-year $125 million deal after the 2025 season with club options would secure the infielder through his age-33 season, and it would give him a salary in the 2026 season that could exceed whatever he would get in arbitration that year. He is at just $5.85 million for 2025, the odds that his spike in salary brings him to $20 million in 2026 are extremely low.
It would allow the Yankees to provide Jazz Chisholm with security and a life-changing contract, locking down the second-base position for them alongside this new core of young players they’re graduating from the farm. Chisholm could become a highly-valued player on the market if he does reach free agency, and once teams begin bidding the number he signs for could be far above that $20.8 million AAV mark. Teams value defense in the infield, speed, and power a lot, and Jazz Chisholm would fit like a glove for a lot of teams; the Yankees should look to keep him long-term.