BALTIMORE — A telltale sign of Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s frustration is that he didn’t speak. The most loquacious player in the New York Yankees clubhouse had nothing to say, because there really isn’t much to say so far about the most important season of his career.

As reporters approached Chisholm at his locker inside the visitors clubhouse at Camden Yards, he simply shook his head and said, “No.” He walked out after finishing 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in a 3-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. A Yankees spokesman indicated Chisholm would speak Tuesday, but his silence Monday said it all.

The 28-year-old impending free agent set high expectations for himself coming into this season, telling The Athletic he would become the second player to join the 50-50 club. That has caused Chisholm to become a target on social media because of how poorly his 2026 campaign has begun.

“You sense guys feeling it when you’re a month-plus in, and you’re not doing what the back of your baseball card is,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s part of it. He’s probably feeling that a little bit, probably pressing a little too much, trying to do a little too much.”

A large payday potentially awaits Chisholm at the end of the season.

The 2027 position player free-agent class is light, which could benefit the second baseman. The Chicago Cubs extended Nico Hoerner, inking him to a six-year, $141 million contract, clearing the way for Chisholm to be the best second baseman available. But a poor platform season could dampen Chisholm’s market.

Gleyber Torres experienced this after struggling in 2024, his final season with the Yankees before hitting free agency. Torres finished with a .709 OPS and bad defensive metrics, forcing him to settle for a one-year, prove-it deal with the Detroit Tigers. Torres parlayed that into accepting the $22.025 million qualifying offer this offseason.

But Chisholm’s ceiling is much higher than Torres’.

Last season, Chisholm became the third player in Yankees history, joining Bobby Bonds and Alfonso Soriano, to finish a season with at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases. He was also excellent defensively, and still is this season. But to cash in, he needs to hit. A .603 OPS and 72 wRC+ won’t be enough.

“I know that, just like last year, he’s gonna find his rhythm and it’s gonna be really fun to watch when he does,” Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, who clobbered his 13th home run of the season Monday, said.

None of Chisholm’s batted ball metrics point toward a hitter who is getting unlucky at the plate. His contact quality stats are all down significantly. Only five batters are hitting underneath the ball more than Chisholm this season, which has resulted in weak popups.

Alarmingly, Chisholm has particularly struggled with hitting fastballs this season. He’s never finished a full season with an OPS below .806 against fastballs. He entered Monday’s game with a .731 OPS against fastballs.

Chisholm has also seen a drastic drop in his fast-swing rate, which Statcast measures as the percentage of all swings at 75 mph or harder. This season, Chisholm’s fast-swing rate was 27.4 percent; last year it was 41.9 percent. This stat matters because all swings that were categorized as “fast” last season resulted in a .942 OPS, and swings slower than 75 mph had a .585 OPS. Essentially, the harder a player swings, the likelier he is to see success.

At a minimum, the Yankees should consider putting Chisholm in more favorable matchups to hit. He entered Monday’s game with a 54 wRC+ against left-handed pitching. With the Yankees up 2-0 in the sixth inning and one out, Chisholm had an uncompetitive at-bat against Orioles lefty reliever Dietrich Enns. Amed Rosario could play more second base against lefties while Chisholm works through his issues; the Yankees, who got six no-hit innings from Ryan Weathers to start Monday’s game but lost their fourth in a row, are expected to face lefty starter Trevor Rogers on Tuesday.

José Caballero could also become an option against lefties if Anthony Volpe is back in the majors at any point. Caballero will undergo an MRI on Tuesday to examine his right middle finger, which he hurt in Sunday’s game. Caballero entered Monday night as a pinch runner in the ninth inning, but Boone said before the game there’s “definitely concern.”

The Yankees need Chisholm to break through, no matter when he plays and no matter whom he faces. He is the pivot point in their lineup. The top half is one of the best in baseball. Chisholm’s performing like one of baseball’s best will only lengthen their lineup. Until then, there might be more silent nights for the second baseman.

“He hasn’t fully broken out yet, and he will,” Boone said. “It’s the hard part of this game. As a hitter, even the good ones, you’re going to go through different stretches where you know you’ve got it. You’ve got to be mentally tough and continue to stick to your process and make subtle adjustments and then walk out there with some swagger.”