The ending of the New York Yankees season this year seemed incredibly fitting. The team was incredibly frustrating to watch all season long and either looked like the best team in the world or one of the worst teams in the league depending on the game.
This week, the Yankees were embarrassed in the Wild Card game by the Boston Red Sox. Before the season started, the Yankees had World Series aspirations and they failed to make even the divisional round of the playoffs.
While the performance was incredibly disappointing, one of the bright spots from the game came from Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo got what seemed to be a rally started in the sixth inning when he launched a home run off of Nathan Eovaldi to get the Yanks on the board.
We obviously know how that inning ended, however, if it would’ve gone differently, many would be pointing to that moment. Rizzo did his part just like Giancarlo Stanton did his part.
Anthony Rizzo was a splash acquisition by Brian Cashman at the trade deadline this year. He added a much needed lefty bat that added pop to the lineup, an amazing glove at first, and a batter that puts the ball in play which we know the Yankees struggle with.
Time in New York
In 49 regular season games with the Yankees, Rizzo had a slash line of .249/.340/.428 while hitting eight home runs and driving in 21 runs. Of course, Rizzo showed off his incredible defensive skills during that stretch as well.
I will say, the numbers above are a little misleading. After joining the Yankees and getting off to a good start, Rizzo got Covid. When he returned from Covid, his first five games were a struggle and he just didn’t seem right.
However, after those five games, he looked tremendous overall. If you take out his five games post-covid, Rizzo’s slash line was .271/.365/.471 with an OPS of .836. That OPS would have placed him third on the team behind Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
Will the Yankees bring him back?
Now, the big question is will the Yankees try to bring him back? I think it’s safe to say that Luke Voit’s time in New York has come to an end. The team tried desperately to move him at the trade deadline but couldn’t get any takers.
Even when Voit was healthy, his limited playing time spoke volumes. With that in mind, I do believe that the Yankees would love to bring Rizzo back to be their first baseman. Rizzo is exactly what this team needs.
He is a tremendous leader, has World Series experience, plays incredible defense at first, and he’s a lefty bat that puts the ball in play. Every single one of those items is vital for the New York Yankees.
So, will they resign him? It’s clear that the Yankees have a number of problems to address in the offseason. This offseason is going to be incredibly busy for the front office.
In terms of the conversations with Rizzo, I’m expecting the Yankees to offer him either a four or five year deal. Now, the big factor will come down to the dollar amount. New York will not go overboard for Rizzo so if another team will, Rizzo will not be in The Bronx next season.
At the end of the day, I have a sneaky suspicion that they will resign him. Rizzo just makes too much sense as a Yankee and he’s a perfect fit. That said, whoever knows what this front office is thinking.
Sound Off: Should the Yankees bring back Anthony Rizzo?
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