Yankees kneecapped potential Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade months ago with foolish move

The New York Yankees should not trade their 30/30 second baseman who's a Silver Slugger finalist, reigning All-Star, and igniter for what they do best and need to aim for moving forward (power, athleticism). But, seeing as they won't extend Jazz Chisholm Jr., trade chatter has cropped up nonetheless - chatter the Yankees are particularly ill-prepared for.

There are precious few "sure things" in the Yankees' current lineup. Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham are no longer here; one might be back, but that's far from a certainty. Austin Wells is bordering on being an unknown. Anthony Volpe, reviled as he is, won't be starting the season healthy. Willingly sacrificing Chisholm's speed-power combo would open up another blurry door papered with question marks.

If the Yankees were to trade Jazz rather than extend him, who would take over? The free agent market is short-term solutions like Jorge Polanco, defensive-minded No. 9 hitters like Isiah Kiner-Falefa, or ... Gleyber Torres. The internal cupboard is bare. The Yankees don't have a single pro-ready prospect at second base.

Except ... they maybe did a couple months back.

The argument for trading their incumbent star wouldn't make much more sense if they had Roc Riggio waiting, but it would've been at least slightly more comprehensible. Riggio's power surge with Double-A Somerset put a flourish on his application to be the Yankees' next grinder. Defense isn't his calling card, and he'll have to outhit his glove to make an MLB impact someday, but the short porch certainly would've helped with that, and his power was maturing as the trade deadline approached.

Instead, the Yankees traded him as part of a two-man package for Jake Bird, who might have fallen into the non-tender Danger Range after just three outings with the Bombers. Disssssssgusting.

Yankees could've had Jazz Chisholm Jr. replacement in Roc Riggio if they hadn't foolishly traded him

The 23-year-old Riggio finished the season with 20 homers, 59 RBI, and an .880 OPS after splitting duty between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A stops at both Somerset and Hartford. His 11 homers in 40 Double-A games in the Yankees' system didn't translate to the Rockies far, as he hit just two more in 26 games at the level (with a respectable .256 average).

Slumps are natural when you go from a potential future home with baseball's preeminent franchise to a date with the baseball humidor, though.

The Yankees would be better off with Chisholm in 2026 than a green Riggio attempting to get his bearings, but ... Riggio was by far their best plug-and-play option, as well as a potential long-term heir. Now? The cupboard's empty. Pay Chisholm or perish. At least keep him. These trade rumors should've ended in late July when the Yankees willingly surrendered their second base future for an erratic reliever.