The Yankees’ offseason infield puzzle could lead them in a pretty obvious direction: away from Jazz Chisholm Jr. and toward a bat with more thump.
With the left side of the infield already unsettled at shortstop and third base, second base has become part of the same mess. Chisholm is set to hit free agency, and instead of trying to keep him in the fold, the Yankees may wind up shopping for a replacement. One name that’s already come up is Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star Brandon Lowe.
Mike Axisa of CBS Sports pegged the Yankees as a possible fit for Lowe, a veteran second baseman who brings real pop to the position. As Axisa put it, "One of only 16 players with a 100 OPS+ every season since 2018, Lowe is a middle infielder with 30-homer power," and added, "...The team that signs Lowe will be the team that believes most in his defensive improvement this year."
That defensive note matters, but Lowe’s offensive track record is the bigger draw. He hasn’t turned in a below-average season at the plate in nearly a decade, and his recent work in the field has made him more appealing to teams looking for a middle-infield upgrade.
Axisa listed two early possible landing spots for Lowe: "Super early possible landing spots: Pirates, Yankees."
This season, Lowe has put up 4.5 bWAR with 29 homers, a .258 batting average and an .805 OPS. His 116 OPS+ doesn’t jump off the page, but it’s still a solid number for a second baseman with that kind of power.
If Chisholm leaves after the 2026 season, the Yankees may be forced to replace him anyway. Lowe would give them a different kind of answer - one built more around power than contact. That’s part of what separates him from someone like Luis Arraez, who leads the NL in batting average but doesn’t offer the same kind of home-run threat.
For New York, Lowe would be the kind of offseason target that changes the conversation at second base, whether the goal is covering for Chisholm’s departure or simply reworking the spot altogether.
In Other News...
Cody Bellingers Viral Gesture Just Created A Yankees Concern
Cody Bellingers gesture toward the Padres dugout became one of the nights biggest talking points once it started circulating on social media, and for the Yankees it quickly shifted from an in-game flash of emotion to something more complicated. The incident drew immediate attention because it was so plainly visible, yet there has been no confirmed explanation of what Bellinger meant by it or any public word from the Yankees or Major League Baseball about whether it will lead to discipline.
What makes the situation linger is the precedent around similar on-field gestures, including the one involving Abner Uribe, which showed how these moments can turn into league matters after the fact. For now, Bellingers act sits in that gray area between raw competitive fire and potential fallout, and the Yankees are left waiting to see whether the attention fades on its own or becomes something more official. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Have Moved On From A Bat They Could Really Use
TJ Rumfields rookie season in Colorado has given the Yankees a fresh reason to wonder about a move they made back in late January. After being dealt from New York to the Rockies in the trade for reliever Angel Chivilli, Rumfield has put together a strong first year at the major league level, hitting .299 with 15 home runs and 67 RBIs while sitting near the top of the National League rookie leaderboard in several offensive categories.
For the Yankees, the trade looks more interesting now because Chivilli has barely been able to get on the mound in the majors this season and is currently on the injured list. Rumfield, meanwhile, has also pointed to his time in the Yankees organization as an important part of his development, which makes the deal feel even more like one those front offices circle back to when a player they let go starts looking like a bat they could have used. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Chisholm Sparked A Yankees Fan Debate At The Worst Time
The Yankees final day off before Aaron Judges return from the injured list took a very New York turn, with several players, including Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr., taking in the US Open in Queens. Judge is expected back on the field soon, which was the bigger baseball development, but Chisholm ended up drawing plenty of attention for reasons far outside the box score after showing up in an unconventional outfit that quickly made the rounds online.
Most of the reaction centered on the T-shirt he wore, which carried the slogan Im a virgin, and the debate moved fast from amused to baffled across social media. For a club trying to reset with its captain back in the mix, it was the kind of side story that can swallow a day off whole, even if there was no indication of any team issue or discipline attached to it. [Read more 🡒]