Jazz Chisholm has been a hot topic at the trade deadline given the Marlins’ struggles this season, and with the Yankees needing infield help some have rumored that he could be a fit. While there’s no way to know what the Bronx Bombers will do at the deadline, Jon Heyman of the New York Post is reporting that they’ve discussed Jazz Chisholm Jr. but also added that their interest level is not known. Through 89 games this season, Chisholm has a 106 wRC+ with 11 home runs and 18 steals, being a solid offensive threat with excellent speed.
The Yankees would likely have him come in as an infielder rather than an outfielder, where he’s been much better defensively in his Major League career.
Jazz Chisholm Could Be an Option For the Yankees’ Infield
This hasn’t been a perfect season for Jazz Chisholm, but he’s been an above-average hitter and would likely improve at a ballpark like Yankee Stadium. He has been significantly better away from the unfriendly dimensions of LoanDepot Park, with a 125 wRC+ and .799 OPS on the road this season. Furthermore, according to Baseball Savant’s Expected Home Run metric, Chisholm would have 16 home runs instead of 11 had he played all of his games at Yankee Stadium.
It’s easy to see the appeal to having someone like Jazz Chisholm, who has the speed, flare, and power to change the game on his own, but his inconsistency has certainly raised questions about his overall value. What is true about the Yankees is that they could use someone who is a threat on the bases, as they’re not only the worst baserunning team according to FanGraphs’ BsR metric, but they’re also the slowest team in baseball in terms of Sprint Speed.
READ MORE: Yankees Mock Trades: Finding the perfect leadoff man
Jazz Chisholm has club control for this season and two more following it, so there is appeal there from the standpoint that the Bronx Bombers would get a longer-term fixture in the middle infield. At second base, he has +7 Defensive Runs Saved and +8 Outs Above Average in his MLB career, which would be a nice upgrade over Gleyber Torres who has posted -2 Defensive Runs Saved and 0 Outs Above Average.
This would solve an infield need at second base, but would they want to add a third baseman as well? That remains to be seen, especially since Jon Berti has experience there and is expected to begin a rehab assignment after the All-Star Break.