A Career Year Followed by a Slump
Twelve months ago, the idea of Jazz Chisholm Jr. accepting a one-year contract would have been improbable. Then again, nothing about Jazz is ever all that linear.
Chisholm had just completed the best season of his career, hitting 31 home runs, stealing 31 bases and becoming only the third player in New York Yankees history to produce a 30/30 season. He was entering his final year before free agency at 28 years old, with power, speed, defensive versatility and sufficient star appeal to have been voted an All-Star starter twice.
One disappointing season later, though, and now there is at least a decision to make.
As the 2026 MLB regular season heads into its final stages, Chisholm is batting .227/.308/.400 through 128 games this year, with 18 home runs and 54 RBI. He has struck out 148 times in 440 at-bats, already a career high, and his .708 OPS represents a decline of more than 100 points from the .813 he produced last season. This is not the momentum anyone wants to carry into their first free agency season. And precisely because of that, maybe the failsafe vehicle of the qualifying offer will come into play.
The Qualifying Offer Mechanism
Somewhat mirroring the NBA’s qualifying offer and restricted free agency system, Major League Baseball has had a qualifying offer system since 2012. In essence, a qualifying offer is a base contract that a team gives to a player whilst negotiations for a larger contract take place.
Since its revision in the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the qualifying offer amount is calculated as being the average salary of MLB’s 125 highest-paid players. The official value will not be established until after the season, but the qualifying offer value for 2026 was set at $22.025 million, and figures to be approximately $23.1 million in 2027. And on account of having spent the entire season with the Yankees and has never previously received a QO, Chisholm is eligible for one this winter.
Despite some reporting to the contrary, the[^1] decision on whether to extend that offer rests with the Yankees, who must weigh Chisholm’s recent production against his track record.
[^1]: The article text is cut off here; the remainder is not available.
Recent Performance Woes
Chisholm’s season has been marked by a sharp downturn at the plate. According to NBC Sports, he has been scuffling in recent weeks, hitting .188 (18-for-96) with four homers and seven steals in 28 games since last month’s All-Star break. He’s been ice-cold recently, batting only .148 (8-for-54) with two extra-base hits in 17 games since the beginning of August.
He’ll continue to be penciled into the lower third of New York’s lineup card, especially with Cody Bellinger (hamstring) and Aaron Judge (rib) expected to return soon. On Sunday, against Atlanta, Chisholm sat out, with Jose Caballero starting in his place at second base and batting ninth.
Despite the batting struggles, Chisholm has remained a threat on the bases. His two stolen bases in a recent game gave him 40 on the season, tying a career high with a month left to play. He is on pace to set a career high in steals, beating out the 40 he totaled two seasons ago. NBC Sports noted that his steal total of 34 ties him with Bobby Witt Jr. for third in MLB. Prior to the season, Chisholm talked about going 50/50 in his free-agent walk year, and he has a good chance of getting there with the steals.
Offensive Decline in Context
Chisholm’s home run production has dropped from 31 last year to 18 this season, a decline that Heavy. attributes to his overall offensive struggles. His OPS has declined from .813 to .708, and his batting average is .227, down from a career line that now stands at .244/.314/.444. Over his career, Chisholm has amassed 126 home runs and 170 stolen bases, but he has also struck out 795 times in 704 games.
His recent performance has been particularly poor: in 45 plate appearances since the start of August, he is hitting just .125/.222/.200 with one home run, three RBI and a 16/5 K/BB ratio. Even in his best recent game, a contest against Houston on Wednesday, Chisholm had three hits and a walk, but such performances have been rare.
Despite the downturn, Chisholm has still delivered quality fantasy production, with 17 homers and 33 stolen bases on the season, according to NBC Sports. However, his .220 batting average has actively hurt roto managers, and the remaining counting stats aren’t anything to get too excited about. Chisholm profiles as a potential 30/30 threat heading into 2027, but his long-term fantasy value is tied heavily to stolen bases, barring a big bounce-back season at the plate.
Looking Ahead
As the season winds down, the Yankees’ decision on a qualifying offer looms. With Chisholm turning 29 in February and coming off a sub-par walk year, the one-year deal could represent a safe option for both sides. For Chisholm, it would guarantee a salary while he tries to rebuild his value; for the Yankees, it would retain a versatile player who has shown he can produce at an elite level when healthy and confident. However, the $23 million price tag is substantial, and Chisholm’s recent strikeout rate and declining power numbers give pause.
The question of whether Chisholm should accept a qualifying offer is one he and his representatives will weigh against the open market. With no prior qualifying offer on his resume, he is eligible, and the decision could define his career trajectory.