Why the Tigers should absolutely pass on Jazz Chisholm in free agency despite rumors

The Tigers have something of an absence at second base with the likely departure of Gleyber Torres, so the media has quickly turned to the free agent market to find potential replacements. The top name on the market is Jazz Chisholm, frequently cited as a top-five player in the sport at the position.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com named Detroit a destination for him earlier this week. While that sounds interesting, at the very least, Chisholm himself does not match the Tigers.

"The Lollipop Kid"

In Miami, Chisholm's sparky persona was beloved because of the youth movement and the otherwise limited star power of the early 2020s Marlins. It helps his case that the Marlins were largely out of the public eye, even being heavy underdogs during their postseason run in 2023, although former manager Don Mattingly did emphasize his need to focus in and grow up.

But as a member of the New York Yankees, Chisholm has not particularly helped his image, sometimes coming across as too firey or even apathetic. During a home game in June, he casually played a game with a lollipop in his mouth, sparking outrage from his manager when he was informed of it.

It's not the end of the world that he has a few quirks, but the Tigers have made it extremely clear that they value clubhouse culture and loyalty above all else. Also, these are Tigers fans we're talking about, and even Max Clark and his famed chains experienced an initiation by fire before showing he had solid character. This is all the more reason to consider whether or not Chisholm would be worth the cost.

The cost

Despite the fact that Chisholm's 2026 numbers are very mortal (1.7 bWAR), his own expectations are that of an 8-10 year deal worth $35 million per year. Yes, that mark is unlikely, but unless he takes a one-year prove-it deal in the mid-$20 millions, he still will command $20+ million per season over at least four years.

Considering the Tigers actually have a monstrous array of decent in-house options such as Hao-Yu Lee, Colt Keith, Max Anderson, and even Kevin McGonigle under specific circumstances, this could actually make the infield feel even more crowded unless Chisholm returns to his bonafide top-end second baseman status for every season of the deal.

Even a one-year deal may not be worth the Tigers' time. Although Chisholm offers athletic skills, like basestealing and solid range at the position, Detroit has many in-house options looking to improve in these areas already. It would likely create another Torres dilemma, where he'll end up sitting at the end of the year in favor of a younger option that will be more helpful long-term.

Ultimately, signing Chisholm wouldn't be a direct loss: it would represent needed aggression by the front office and willingness to create continued competition in a crowded infield. But to what degree is that worth a player coming off a down season? It seems that the Tigers' best decision here would be to stick with their guys and trade for better options if needed.

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