The Yankees have been making plenty of noise this offseason, but perhaps the loudest-and strangest-rumor floating around right now is that Jazz Chisholm Jr. might be on the trade block. That’s right.
The same Jazz Chisholm who just hit 31 home runs and was arguably the second-best second baseman in baseball this past season, trailing only Ketel Marte in overall production. So naturally, fans and analysts alike are asking: why would the Yankees even consider moving him?
Let’s start with the obvious-Chisholm isn’t easy to replace. He brings a rare combination of pop, speed, and swagger to the infield.
There aren’t many second basemen in the league who can match his offensive ceiling, and even fewer who can do it while playing with the kind of energy and edge that Chisholm brings to the field every day. So if the Yankees are seriously entertaining offers, it likely means they have something bigger in mind.
That “something,” according to ESPN’s David Schoenfield, could be Bo Bichette. The Toronto Blue Jays shortstop is now a free agent, and Schoenfield predicts the Yankees might be clearing the way to bring him in. It’s a bold move, but one that starts to make a little more sense when you look under the hood.
Bichette doesn’t match Chisholm in terms of home run power, but he’s been the more consistent hitter overall. He’s a career .300-type bat with gap-to-gap power and a knack for big moments.
He’s also versatile enough to play either middle infield spot, which could give the Yankees some flexibility-especially with Anthony Volpe coming off a tough season. Volpe struggled at the plate in 2025 and took a step back defensively, making his future as an everyday shortstop a bit murky.
If the Yankees do land Bichette, they could slot him in at shortstop and move Volpe into a utility role-or flip the script and play Bichette at second, keeping Jose Caballero in a backup role. Either way, it would be a significant shift in the infield dynamic.
Still, there’s a strong case to be made for keeping Chisholm and adding Bichette without subtracting from the core. Yes, Bichette is a below-average defender, but pairing him with Chisholm in the same lineup would give the Yankees two of the most productive bats at their respective positions. That kind of offensive firepower up the middle is rare, and it could help offset any defensive shortcomings.
At the end of the day, this all hinges on how the Yankees want to shape their infield identity moving forward. If they value offensive production and are willing to live with some defensive warts, a Chisholm-Bichette pairing could be electric. But if they’re looking to reset their roster, clear salary, or reshape the clubhouse dynamic, then moving Chisholm might be part of a broader plan.
Either way, the fact that Chisholm’s name is even in the rumor mill tells us the Yankees are thinking big. And if history is any indicator, when the Yankees think big, something headline-worthy usually follows.