The rumor mill in the Bronx has officially gone from “quiet” to “bizarre” with reports that the Yankees are listening to trade calls on Jazz Chisholm Jr. It feels counterintuitive to even entertain moving a player who just joined the exclusive 30/30 club, posting a career-best season with 31 homers and 31 stolen bases.
General Manager Brian Cashman might just be doing his standard due diligence, but where there is smoke, there is often a fire sale of high-variance assets. Chisholm was undeniably electric in 2025, slashing .242/.332/.481 and providing the kind of spark this lineup often lacks, but his game comes with a “boom or bust” warning label that clearly has the front office hedging its bets.
Jazz Chisholm Is Electric, But the Red Flags Are Blinding
While Chisholm’s 91st percentile barrel rate and 84th percentile batting run value scream “superstar,” the underlying flaws in his swing are impossible to ignore. He remains a prisoner of his own aggression, ranking in the 7th percentile for whiff rate and the 8th percentile for strikeout percentage.
These holes in his swing lead to prolonged cold streaks that can stall the offense, a volatility the Yankees might be looking to swap for stability. Furthermore, with Chisholm set to hit free agency after the 2026 season, his trade value will likely never be higher than it is right now.
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Brendan Donovan Is the Antithesis of Strikeout Culture
If Cashman does pull the trigger on a blockbuster, pivoting to St. Louis Cardinals utility man Brendan Donovan would be a masterclass in roster construction.
Donovan is the exact opposite of Chisholm; he is a contact machine who ranked in the 95th percentile for whiff rate and the 92nd percentile for strikeout rate last season. He hit .287/.353/.422 in 2025, and while his 10 home runs don’t jump off the page, his 96th percentile squared-up percentage suggests he is constantly finding the barrel. Moving from the spacious Busch Stadium to the short porch in the Bronx would undoubtedly spike his power numbers, making him a far more dangerous threat than his raw totals imply.
Control and Character Could Seal the Deal
Beyond the box score, Donovan brings intangible value that the Yankees are reportedly desperate to secure. He is widely regarded as one of the best leaders and clubhouse presences in baseball, a variable Cashman values highly as he tries to build a championship culture.
Financially, Donovan is under team control through arbitration until 2028, offering two more years of security than Chisholm. It helps explain why the Yankees should stay miles away from a $150 million Bo Bichette contract and focus on smarter, high-floor acquisitions like this. Trading flash for substance is never a popular move in New York, but swapping a volatile star for a disciplined leader might be the “boring” move that wins a ring.