Thirty-one homers. Thirty-one steals. And a month lost to an oblique strain that could have quietly drained the juice from a lesser player.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. didn’t blink.
By the time the 2025 season ended, the New York Yankees second baseman had done something both loud and subtle at the same time. He joined the 30-30 club while missing real time, then walked away convinced he left something on the table. That belief is not bluster. It is the throughline of Chisholm’s career and, increasingly, a central question for the Yankees as they look ahead.
A Gear the Numbers Hint At
Chisholm’s case starts with production, not personality. The Yankees got 31 home runs, 31 stolen bases, and a 126 wRC+ out of the keystone, numbers that landed him a Silver Slugger and reaffirmed his status as one of the game’s rare power-speed hybrids. Add in 75 runs scored, 80 RBI, 58 walks, and 4.4 fWAR, and the picture sharpens quickly.
This was not empty flash. It was impact.
The underlying reality is even more compelling. Chisholm missed an entire month and still reached thresholds most players never sniff with a full season of health. Per Yankees insider Bryan Hoch, Chisholm believes that durability is the only thing standing between him and the 40-40 club. The Yankees, quietly, agree.
That combination of belief and evidence is what makes his situation so fascinating.
Why the Yankees Are Listening, Not Selling
The New York Yankees are not actively shopping Jazz Chisholm. That distinction matters. But they are listening, and in front offices, listening can be just as revealing.
Chisholm is entering his walk year in 2026, with free agency looming and a price tag that will reflect his upside as much as his résumé. The Yankees value him as part of the present solution, but they also understand leverage when they see it. A second baseman who plays great defense, steals bags, hits for power, and just turned in a 30-30 season is exactly the kind of player other teams will ask about.
Brian Cashman did not hide that reality.
“He’s somebody who I think is currently part of the solution,” Cashman said recently. “Someone who has made us better by getting him two Trade Deadlines ago and giving us athleticism. He’s above average. He’s an All-Star second baseman; great defense, steals bags, power, all that stuff. He’s been a good get.”
That last line carries weight. Good gets do not get moved easily. They get evaluated carefully.
The Health Variable That Changes Everything
For Chisholm, the math is simple. If he plays 150 to 155 games, history bends a little.
The 40-40 club remains one of baseball’s most exclusive fraternities, and Chisholm’s 2025 season suggests it is not a pipe dream. His power did not fade late. His legs stayed explosive. His plate discipline improved enough to keep pitchers honest. The oblique strain was the only thing that interrupted the rhythm.
The Yankees are betting that better fortune on the health front unlocks another level. So are the teams calling Cashman. And so is Chisholm himself.
There is a difference between confidence and clarity. Chisholm sounds like someone who knows exactly what he is capable of.
A Decision That Can Wait, For Now
Chisholm is open to staying in the Bronx beyond 2026. The Yankees know it will not come cheap. That tension will likely not resolve itself this winter.
For now, both sides will likely see the story play out on the field. Another season like 2025, or better, strengthens Chisholm’s case as a franchise pillar. Another step forward with health makes the extension conversation unavoidable.
Until then, the Yankees have one of the most dynamic second basemen in baseball and a player chasing history with his eyes wide open.
Sometimes the most interesting answers come when you let a talent this loud keep talking with his bat and his legs.