The Yankees’ second-base picture is suddenly up for grabs, and Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s future in the Bronx looks shaky. A recent report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post said the club is not expected to extend Chisholm the $23.15 million qualifying offer, a move that would make him a free agent within five days after the World Series ends. New York could have used that offer as a path to draft-pick compensation if Chisholm walked, but there’s also the risk of saddling themselves with a costly one-year deal if he accepted it.
That decision would leave a hole for the Yankees to fill, and Anthony Volpe would be the in-house option at second base for the moment. Still, relying on Volpe carries plenty of risk of its own, especially with his offensive struggles in the past. If New York wants something more established, there are a few names in the free-agent market who make sense.
Luis Arraez stands out as the most complete fit. The 29-year-old is coming off a strong rebound season with the San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies, hitting .310/.345/.419 with 46 extra-base hits and a career-best 4.1 fWAR. His contact ability remains elite, and he also made a major leap with the glove, going from a well-below average defender to a player worth 10 Fielding Run Value and 12 Outs Above Average, according to Baseball Savant.
The concerns with Arraez are real, though. He doesn’t run well, which makes him vulnerable on ground balls and double plays.
His approach at the plate is also a mixed bag: he chases too often with a 33.1% chase rate and rarely walks, posting a 5.2% walk rate. Even so, his fit with the Yankees is obvious if they can coax a little more selectivity out of him.
In the right lineup spot, he could be a difficult out and help cash in the traffic created by the hitters around him.
Brandon Lowe offers a different kind of appeal. The 32-year-old launched 35 home runs and would bring the kind of left-handed power the Yankees usually like to stockpile. His swing looks tailor-made for Yankee Stadium, and the image of those balls reaching the Short Porch is an easy one to picture.
Lowe’s defense has also taken a major step forward. He used to be one of the weakest defensive second basemen in the league, but now he’s a Gold Glove finalist after piling up 15 Outs Above Average.
The strikeouts are still part of the package, and that remains a concern for a Yankees offense that has already dealt with that issue. But the upside in the bat is loud enough to keep him firmly in the conversation.
Then there’s Gleyber Torres, which brings a reunion angle that is a little messier but still worth considering. Torres’ glove remains a negative at second base, with -5 OAA and -2 FRV, and injuries limited him to 96 games in 2026. He also didn’t deliver much power, finishing with 21 extra-base hits and a .363 slugging percentage.
At the same time, his plate discipline has moved in the right direction. Over the past two seasons, his 17.9% O-swing rate is tied with Juan Soto for the best in baseball, and his 13.5% walk rate ranks 11th among qualified hitters over that span.
That kind of on-base skill would help a Yankees lineup that needs more of it. And while his power dip may have been tied in part to playing in Comerica Park, he was much more dangerous to the Short Porch during his time in New York.
Arraez looks like the best fit of the three, in part because he’s the youngest and in part because his contact profile and improved defense line up so well with what the Yankees need. If they can get him to be a little more patient, he becomes even more dangerous.
If free agency doesn’t supply the answer, the Yankees can also shop the trade market. Xavier Edwards of the Marlins would be an ideal target because of his contact skills, plate discipline and speed.
However the Yankees choose to handle it, they should not simply hand the job to Volpe and call it a day. With Chisholm likely on his way out, there are real options available for New York to upgrade second base.
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