In his prime, Anthony Rizzo was one of the National League's most well-rounded players. He finished top-10 in MVP voting three times (2014-16), and won four Gold Gloves (2016; 2018-20) with the Chicago Cubs.
When the New York Yankees acquired him ahead of the 2021 trade deadline, they hoped he would balance out a heavy right-handed hitting lineup and help them capture a World Series ring, as he did the Cubs five years prior.
Rizzo obviously couldn't single-handedly control the second aspect, but he fulfilled the first down the stretch in 2021 and throughout the 2022 campaign. Following a 110 OPS+ in 49 games after joining the Bronx Bombers, he posted a 130 OPS+ across, fittingly, 130 games the next season.
However, that games played total appears to have been a massive warning sign for what was to come. Rizzo failed to suit up for 100 contests in 2023 or 2024. This year, he posted his lowest numbers across the board—in a 162-game slate—since he was a rookie for the San Diego Padres in 2011.
Anthony Rizzo | 2011 (Padres) | 2024 (Yankees) |
|---|---|---|
Games Played | 49 | 92 |
Batting Average | .141 | .228 |
On-Base Percentage | .281 | .301 |
Slugging Percentage | .242 | .335 |
Home Runs | 1 | 8 |
Walks | 21 | 27 |
OPS | .523 | .637 |
OPS+ | 51 | 81 |
Rizzo's defense also fell off a cliff. After sitting in the 91st percentile for Outs Above Average (OAA) in 2023 per Baseball Savant, he finished in the 24th percentile this season.
The Yankees understandably declined his $17 million player option for 2025 last week, two days after their loss in the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now, Rizzo has to embark on a new journey in free agency.
Where Rizzo ends up could depend on what he values
At age-35, Rizzo is on the back-nine of his career. And, as we've mentioned, he has accomplished almost everything one can as a player, including capturing a ring that ended the longest championship drought in sports history.
With that in mind, he seemingly has two options going forward: continue trying to be a lineup mainstay on a likely-fledgling franchise, or filling a platoon role for a postseason contender.
If Rizzo wants to prove he can still be an every-day player, he'd probably hope to follow Josh Bell's script (Bell has been moved to a playoff hopeful at each of the last three trade deadlines). His most likely destination, should he take this path, would be the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Pittsburgh routinely slides veteran, low-cost players into their first base void. They did so last year with Rowdy Tellez, whom they released in the final week of the season. The Pirates, behind ace Paul Skenes, could use a veteran with Rizzo's track record of success in the hopes of leaping into playoff contention.
Should Rizzo elect to chase a platoon position, there would be more openings available. He could part of the replacement efforts for Christian Walker in Arizona or Pete Alonso for the Mets—if they sign elsewhere in free agency—or even return to the Yankees on a lesser deal, though that feels far-fetched in the wake of his World Series performance.
One particularly appealing possibility, though, could be the Cincinnati Reds. Cincinnati has no true left-handed hitting infielders on their 40-man roster and offer one of the most favorable hitting environments in the MLB at Great American Ballpark. They also struggled mightily to get production from their first basemen a season ago.
In 2024, Reds first basemen posted the lowest OBP (.269) and worst wRC+ (70) in baseball. Rizzo's addition would give Cincinnati a legitimate platoon with the young, raw Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and his veteran leadership would be beneficial to new manager Terry Francona's attempt at establishing a new culture. It would delight Reds fans to no end if Rizzo were to tee off against his former team in any of the divisional games with the Cubs.
Rizzo will bring tremendous locker room presence to whatever organization he joins. There's value in such a player for both contenders and rebuilders alike, especially at Spotrac's projected $2 million price tag. At the end of the day, it'll be whether he prioritizes a chance to win or playing time that will lead him to his next home.