Jazz Chisholm has been extensively connected to the New York Yankees in recent weeks, particularly since the Miami Marlins are out of the playoff race. While most clubs are undecided about being in the Wild Card race, it is evident that they will sell before the July deadline, and Chisholm is widely projected to be traded. With a 105 wRC+ and 13 home runs this season, the left-handed outfielder has returned to playing second base to audition for teams interested in casting him in that position.
The appeal of getting a hitter like Jazz Chisholm, who would take advantage of the short porch in right field, is clear in terms of power and speed. Statcast’s Expected Home Run statistic predicts he would have hit 19 home runs if he had played all of his games in the Bronx. It’s not an exact science because the Yankees only play half of their games here, but LoanDepot Park is very pitcher-friendly compared to other AL East parks.
The Yankees would acquire a hitter who would energize their sluggish team, but clubhouse issues and overall inconsistency at the plate are two grounds of dispute. Chisholm talked openly about his troubles with former Miami Marlin Miguel Rojas, who didn’t seem to enjoy his antics on the baseball pitch, and while we’ll never know who was actually at fault, it may not have gone over well with everyone.
Furthermore, there have been stories of conflicts between the Marlins and Jazz Chisholm, so there might be a natural abrasiveness about his presence. That’s just speculation, though, and the Yankees have both investigated and purchased several questionable players to better their squad. The Yankees acquired Aroldis Chapman when the Los Angeles Dodgers canceled their contract with him due to a domestic violence incident in the 2016 offseason, and they continued to roster Domingo German until his outburst in 2023.
When it came to clubhouse concerns, Alex Verdugo was not popular in Boston, particularly as the 2023 season came to a conclusion, with Alex Cora benching him several times. Despite the fact that he had a 98 wRC+ and was a lesser all-around player than Jazz Chisholm is right now, the Yankees still acquired him. They also acquired Josh Donaldson, who was regarded a disgruntled Minnesotan after criticizing star pitcher Gerrit Cole for using foreign drugs.
Either what the public knows about jazz. Chisholm does not tell the whole story, or the Yankees are now changing their tune on off-field issues because they have demonstrated a propensity to turn a blind eye to a player who benefits them. Given that their OPS outside of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto is.672, Chisholm’s.736 OPS is a significant improvement over their current choices.
