The Yankees’ decision on Jazz Chisholm Jr. may have quietly opened the door for the Angels.
According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, Chisholm is not expected to receive a qualifying offer from New York. That matters because it removes the draft-pick compensation hurdle that can come with signing him, making him a cleaner target for Los Angeles this offseason.
Chisholm’s run in New York did not end the way the Yankees hoped after another ugly postseason exit, and the club is expected to move on from several pieces of its 2026 roster. Chisholm looks like one of them. The Yankees have not won a World Series since 2009, and it’s possible the pressure of playing in New York factored into his rough finish.
For the Angels, the appeal is obvious. Chisholm could give them flexibility in the infield or the outfield.
He played all 137 of his games at second base last season, but he has experience in center field and at third base, too. That gives Los Angeles a few ways to fit him in: at second base instead of Oswald Peraza or Adam Frazier, at third base instead of Denzer Guzman, or in center field if Chisholm wants to return to a more natural spot.
Mike Trout reportedly requested a move to left field, which leaves center field open for the Angels heading into next season.
The numbers still make him interesting. Chisholm hit a career-high 31 home runs for the Yankees in 2025 and finished with an .813 OPS.
Before that, he found success with the Miami Marlins from 2020-2024, a smaller-market setting that may have suited him better. That raises the question of whether a move away from the spotlight could help him get back on track.
There’s also the larger qualifying-offer angle. Players rarely accept them, and the Yankees’ choice not to even extend one sends a clear message.
They were burned when Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying offer last year, and they may be trying to avoid a repeat with Chisholm. Either way, the path is now clearer for the Angels if they want to make a play.
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