Jazz Chisholm's contract comments pretty much confirm he'll be leaving Yankees

Jazz Chisholm Jr. has never been afraid to speak out about his own value (real and imagined), whether he's warding off Twitter trolls or discussing a potential 50-50 season.

Most of the time, Jazz's outspoken nature doesn't impact the New York Yankees, but his recent comments are an exception. In speaking to NJ Advance Media, Chisholm said that he's looking for a $35 million AAV, 8-10 year contract in 2026 free agency.

Somewhere, Brian Cashman spit out his food and exploded into laughter.

Jazz Chisholm's contract remarks spell the end of his Yankees tenure

Chisholm shouldn't be chastised for shooting for the moon, contractually speaking; nor should the Yankees be expected to meet Jazz in outer space. CBS Sports' Mike Axisa recently turned heads by suggesting that Chisholm might land a Willy Adames-like deal. Adames signed with the San Francisco Giants for seven years and $182 million.

For Chisholm naysayers thinking that a $26 AAV deal like Adames's would be an overpay for Jazz, just imagine how they'll react to Chisholm's recent comments.

The kicker here is that Chisholm's free agency promises to be particularly lucrative, provided he keeps producing in 2026. The free-agent class isn't a strong one, and Chisholm figures to leverage that fortune in his favor.

Will that align with Jazz remaining in the Bronx, as he purportedly desires? Certainly not for anything close to the dollar amount that Chisholm just communicated. The Yankees are spenders, but they are calculated and conservative in their approach.

If the wave of the market indeed rises for Chisholm to the tune of a $250 million (or more) opportunity, don't count on Cashman being anywhere remotely near the situation. This is the same general manager who once low-balled Aaron Judge and, more recently, played a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with Cody Bellinger because of a difference of a few million.

And if offseason Chisholm trade rumors were of any merit, it's clear that Cashman doesn't consider Jazz anything close to untouchable.

Chisholm's Yankees stint has been a success, and fans should appreciate the slugger as much as they possibly can in 2026. It's a shame that the situation isn't likely to continue past the upcoming season, as Chisholm's personality was a splendid fit in New York.

Maybe the New York Mets, if they miss out on Tarik Skubal, will take advantage of that fit and make Chisholm their next stolen Yankees player less than a year from now. At this point, it almost seems inevitable.