After playing in, and losing, the second World Series of his 14-year MLB career, Anthony Rizzo wanted and expected to play at least one more season for the New York Yankees. In 2016, Rizzo was hero for the Chicago Cubs, belting 32 home runs and another three in the postseason to play a crucial role in lifting that team to its first World Series championship since 1908.
But the Cubs traded him to the Yankees at the 2021 trade deadline, and after the 2021 season the three-time All-Star signed a new, two-year, $34 million deal to stay in the Bronx. Two years later, when he became a free agent again, Rizzo signed another contract to remain as the Yankees’ first baseman for another two years.
After last season’s World Series, however, the Yankees had an option to retain Rizzo for one more year at a price of $17 million, but the team turned it down. Instead, they cast the 35-year-old aside, electing instead to pay him a $6 million buyout and force Rizzo to become a free agent.
Yankees Dropped Rizzo For Even Older First Baseman
Was it Rizzo’s age that caused the Yankees to dump him? Probably not, given that they signed 37-year-old former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to replace him, on a one-year, $12.5 million contract.
Combined with Rizzo’s buyout price, the Yankees paid $1.5 million more to replace Rizzo with the older Goldschmidt than they would have paid to hold on to Rizzo, though with a .716 OPS in 2024, Goldschmidt was not a whole lot better than Rizzo who posted a .706 despite multiple injuries.
Now, more than three weeks into the 2025 season, Rizzo remains a player without a team. But at least so far, he has refused to declare his retirement.
“I’ve definitely thought about it,” he told The Athletic in February. “I think I have a lot to give to the game still.”
Rizzo Could Take His Talents to the Bay
According to a proposal by SI.com baseball writer Nick Ziegler on Friday, there is one team that should sign Rizzo and benefit from what he has to give still. And incidentally, that team — at least based on its performance in the early going of the 2025 campaign — would give Rizzo another chance to return to the World Series.
That team is the San Francisco Giants. After winning three World Series in five seasons from 2010 to 2014, the Giants have made only two playoff appearances since and are now trying to end a three-year drought.
They are off to a good start, with a 13-7 record heading into Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels. That’s good enough for third in the National League West despite being a better record than all but two teams — the Yankees and New York Mets, both also 13-7 — outside of that loaded division.
“While there are a lot of players performing well, San Francisco does have one notable player struggling and that is first baseman, LaMonte Wade Jr. The slugger is off to a terrible start, slashing .102/.224/.265 with just one home run so far in 16 games,” wrote Ziegler, urging the Giants to bring Rizzo to the Bay Area. “A first baseman that can hit from the left-hand side of the plate might emerge as a need. One player who could make a lot of sense for them is free-agent, Anthony Rizzo.”
According to Bleeding Yankee Blue writer Robert Casey, Rizzo brings more than numbers to a team, however.
“He’s not just a ballplayer. He’s a glue guy. A leader. A baseball lifer. And I still believe — really believe—he’s got at least 15- 20 dingers left in that sweet lefty swing. Give him a healthy stretch, and you’re telling me he can’t secure first base and mash a few fastballs into McCovey Cove?” Casey wrote on the BYB site Saturday. “Please. I’ve seen that guy light up October. He’s not done.”
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Giants Urged to Sign $17 Million World Series Hero Shockingly Dumped by Yankees