The New York Yankees are just waiting at this point to see where a well-respected veteran will sign to play for the new season.
Anthony Rizzo was a valuable member of the Yankees on and off the field for the last three-and-a-half seasons. The former three-time All-Star with the Chicago Cubs, Rizzo had some productive years in the Bronx while becoming a clubhouse leader in his mid-thirties.
The 2024 season was a tough one for Rizzo, though, as he put up a .637 OPS/81 OPS+ in the final year of a $40 million contract. He turns 36 in August, and he’s hoping the 2025 season won’t be his last.
After the season, the Yankees paid Rizzo a $6 million buyout rather than accepting his $17 million club option for the 2025 season. They’ve since signed Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year contract, banking on the 37-year-old to bounce back from his down year in 2024.
Where will Rizzo wind up, though? Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter projected Opening Day lineups for all 30 clubs in a recent article, and he predicted that Rizzo would sign with the San Francisco Giants, who seemingly always need left-handed power.
“Injures have limited Anthony Rizzo to 191 games over the past two seasons, and he will almost certainly have to take a significant pay cut from the $17 million he earned a year ago, but he still represents an intriguing buy-low target at the right price,” Reuter wrote.
“The three-time All-Star is a respected clubhouse voice, standout defender at first base and experienced postseason performer.”
The Giants wouldn’t be happy with a Rizzo signing if he continued producing at his 2024 pace, but the timing would work out well. Top prospect Bryce Eldridge, a 6-foot-7 first baseman, should be ready for the majors by 2026.
Rizzo could be the veteran stopgap the Giants need, and the Yankees would get the benefit of not having to face him apart from three home games in 2025. Even if his New York tenure ended quietly, the Yankees will want the best for Rizzo.
More MLB: Mets, Pete Alonso approaching ‘almost inevitable’ $70 million decision, per insider
