Angels risk serious buyer's remorse with Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s contract projection

The Los Angeles Angels might be turning into big spenders this offseason. The new ownership group will be the richest in baseball, and that has fans believing they will splash some cash this offseason.

While spending on top-shelf free agents is great, this offseason is unfortunately one of the worst free-agent classes in a while. That might result in bidding wars that drive prices up on free agents, earning them contracts that they wouldn't receive in a normal offseason.

One player who has been suggested as an option for the Angels a few times is Jazz Chisholm Jr. The Yankees' second baseman is hitting the open market coming off a down season, but he'll be 29 next season, which could earn him a long-term contract.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden put out his free-agent contract and team predictions. He listed the Angels as one of three potential landing spots for Chisholm, but his contract prediction may turn fans off from the idea. The former Reds and Nationals GM predicted a six-year, $128 million contract for the second baseman, with an opt-out after the second season. An average annual value of $21.3 million. That would be a very large contract for a player coming off a 1.7 bWAR season.

The Angels need to stay away if Jazz Chisholm is looking for that kind of money this offseason

Chisholm went into the season predicting he would hit 50 steals and 50 home runs, and earn a $350 million contract this offseason. Everyone laughed when he said that, but he had just completed a 30-30 season, an impressive feat. He wasn't able to repeat the power he showed in 2025, with just 19 home runs. He did steal 41 bags, but his batting average dropped from .242 to .231, and his OPS from .813 to .711.

One thing Chisholm can be is positionally versatile. He was an everyday center fielder with the Marlins before becoming a third baseman for the Yankees after being traded there. Then they swapped him over to second base for the 2025 season. He is an above-average defender at all three spots, but that is not enough to earn him that contract.

If that contract is what Chisholm is going into the offseason looking for, the Angels should be staying away. Just because the Halos might have money to spend doesn't mean they need to do so irresponsibly, and that contract would be irresponsible. The Bahamian has just one season with a WAR higher than 3.0; just because he can play good defense and steal bases doesn't mean he needs to get a contract larger than Ketel Marte.

The Angels need to be smart about their money this offseason. It's a bad year to have a lot of cap space, because they may want to spend it, but the class may not be worth it. It would be better to sit pat this offseason and wait than hand out contracts like that projection to a player like Jazz Chisholm.

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