The Yankees’ season ended with a sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays, and now one of their more uncertain roster decisions is already out in the open.
Jazz Chisholm Jr., who is headed for free agency, said after Game 3 of the ALDS that he wants another shot in New York. “I do hope to be back,” Chisholm told reporters and SNY Yankees after the Yankees were eliminated by the Rays.
SNY Yankees also shared Chisholm’s answer when he was asked whether he hopes to be back with the Yankees in 2027. He gave the same response: “I do hope to be back”
The problem for Chisholm is that wanting a return and getting one are two very different things. The Yankees are staring at a messy offseason, with Trent Grisham, David Bednar, Paul Blackburn, and Paul Goldschmidt also facing uncertain futures. Not all of them are likely to be retained, and the club’s infield picture is getting tighter by the day.
Anthony Volpe and George Lombard Jr. both showed enough late in the year to make a middle-infield shakeup feel less likely. Add Jose Cabellero to the mix, along with the possibility of a cheaper free-agent depth option, and Chisholm may wind up as the odd man out.
His season in pinstripes was uneven. Chisholm finished with a .231 batting average, 19 home runs, and a .711 OPS in 137 games, good for 1.7 bWAR. His 97 OPS+ marked the second-worst season of his career since his first full season in the big leagues back in 2021.
So the question now is simple: do the Yankees bring him back after a down year? That call belongs to the front office. Chisholm has made his preference clear.
In Other News...
Aaron Judge Turns Rays Sweep Into Yankees Front Office Pressure
Even while sidelined, Aaron Judge still found himself at the center of the Yankees latest postseason disappointment after Tampa Bays ALDS sweep sent New York home early. The injured captains absence only sharpened the frustration around a season that ended with the same old October questions, and his comments afterward pointed directly at the people who have to answer them. He said the Yankees ownership and front office need to go all-in this offseason if they want to put together a roster capable of making a real championship run.
Judge also took a moment to acknowledge how hard the elimination hit, while noting that his own rehab remains ongoing as he works his way back. For the Rays, the sweep was a statement series and another reminder of how quickly the balance can shift in the division. For the Yankees, it became something bigger than a loss - it turned into an uncomfortable prompt about urgency, expectations and what kind of push the organization is willing to make next. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Fans Had Every Reason To Hate This ALDS Replay Call
The ALDS swung through another jarring replay sequence in Game 3, when Anthony Volpes two-run homer was taken off the board and turned into a double after review. The call hinged on fan interference, with the replay official determining that a spectator reached over the wall and touched the ball before it could finish its path beyond the fence or into the glove of the defender.
For Rays fans, it was the kind of ruling that can linger long after the inning ends. The Yankees still got a run-scoring double out of it, but Tampa Bay kept its edge in the series, even as the replay decision left plenty of frustration behind and added another layer of tension to a postseason game already being dissected pitch by pitch. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Sweep Ended With A Yankees Moment Fans Will Argue About
For a few tense moments in Game 3 of the American League Division Series, it looked as if Anthony Volpe had delivered the swing that would drag the Yankees back into the game. The ball carried toward left field, the crowd reacted like a tie was on the board, and the play briefly had the feel of one of those October turning points that can change a series in a heartbeat.
Then came the review, and with it the part Rays fans will still be debating long after the final out. A fan reached over the left-field wall and kept a Tampa Bay outfielder from making a play, which changed the ruling, put Volpe at second and cut the result to one run instead of two. The Rays still held on, finishing the sweep of the Yankees in three games, but the ending left plenty of room for argument on the way out. [Read more 🡒]