Infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. will enter the 2026 season under the final year of his contract with the New York Yankees. That reality places significant pressure on the club’s front office, which must soon determine whether it intends to retain him long term or allow him to walk into free agency.
The situation grows more complex given the player’s lofty financial expectations. Chisholm is reportedly seeking an exorbitant figure for his next contract, while the Bronx Bombers remain uncertain whether he represents the type of cornerstone they envision for the franchise over the next decade.
In a conversation with Randy Miller of NJ.com, Chisholm Jr. made his intentions unmistakably clear, outlining what he plans to request from the Manhattan organization for each upcoming season.
The multimillion-dollar figure Jazz Chisholm wants to stay with the New York Yankees
During his exchange with Miller, Chisholm stated plainly that he wants to earn $35 million per season on a deal spanning a minimum of eight to 10 years with the club.
I’d say no because I know I can get $35 million somewhere else.”…”That’s $10 million less a year. … I’m 28. I want 8-to-10 years.
Chisholm said.
Not everyone agrees that he merits such a lucrative commitment. Among the skeptics is former Miami Marlins president David Samson, who did not mince words when addressing the matter.
What Jazz Chisholm has is not confidence.”… “It’s not even cocky. Jazz Chisholm is simply delusional. There’s a fine line between confidence and delusion, and that line is generally self-awareness…
You’re not going to get $25 million a year over 10 years from the Yankees. That offer is never going to come to you.
Samson said on the Feb. 23 edition of “Nothing Personal with David Samson.”
Everything suggests the path Jazz Chisholm Jr. is pursuing may not be the right one
Chisholm has made a habit of speaking candidly to the media about his impending contract situation, and on that front Samson has suggested he adopt a different tone and strategy.
Instead of saying that you believe you’re a $35 million player when Aaron Judge is a $40 million player, instead of saying that you expect to be a 50-50 player, I would much rather have you take the microphone, which would have been totally out of character, and simply say, ‘Listen, this season it is critically important for the Yankees to be successful.”…”‘We need to go deeper into the playoffs and get that World Series for the fans of New York.
The fact that they haven’t and we have not won a World Series since 2009 is something I want to fix. And I want to be a part of the solution, not the problem. And I know once that happens, my free agency will take care of itself.
The player’s demands are substantial and may prove difficult for the Yankees to satisfy as they attempt to assemble a roster capable of returning to championship glory, something the franchise has not achieved in many, many years.
Read the full article here
