Anthony Rizzo

Yankees News and Rumors: Does first baseman Anthony Rizzo know something we don’t?

by
anthony rizzo, yankees

The New York Yankees finished the 2021 season with Anthony Rizzo manning first base after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline. The lifelong Cub made the transition successfully from Chicago to New York with ease, saying he loved playing in the Bronx. He started out with a bang at the plate but quickly cooled off, although his stellar defense at first base continued. At the end of the season, he became a free agent for the first time in his life, leaving the Yankees without an everyday first baseman.

Before the MLB imposed lock-out, the Yankees did little to improve the team with several holes to patch up if they want to build a championship team for 2022. The Yankees made it known immediately after the World Series that their number one priority was getting a star-like shortstop to replace the failed experiment with Gleyber Torres, the everyday second baseman. They also acknowledged that they needed to address not having a valid number two starting pitcher, with the exit of Corey Kluber, a first baseman, and help in center field to back up the often unhealthy Aaron Hicks. 

The Yankees have options at first base; they held over former first baseman Luke Voit putting him on the 40 man roster. They also are considering Matt Olson, Freddie Freeman, among others, including bringing back Anthony Rizzo, but in the usual manner, the Yankees have been tight-lipped about any pending moves. General Manager had stated that they had contacted Rizzo’s agent, although it is unclear if ongoing talks before the lock-out had advanced.

Rizzo has a history of freely buying homes and selling them, most recently selling a Parkland, Florida $2.5 million mansion in favor of an upgraded $4.5 upscale property in Fort Lauderdale. The two homes are just 30 minutes apart. But now news has surfaced (unverified) that the superstar first baseman has purchased a new home in southeast Connecticut. Rizzo has made it clear he wants to stay playing in New York. Does he know something we don’t?

During a recent podcast, Rizzo had this to say about living in New York:

“Our time in New York was great. We loved it,” Rizzo said. “We lived in the Upper West Side. Lived near (Central Park). Took Kevin (his dog) to the park pretty much every day in the morning, a nice stroll through Central Park. Got to basically live in the city for two or three months and enjoy New York City for those two or three months and then playing baseball for the Yankees, it was a good time. We really enjoyed it …”

“You put that uniform on for the first time, it’s definitely special. … There’s only a few jerseys around this league that when you put them on, it’s different, and the Yankees are definitely one of them.”

“It was great,” Rizzo told “The Compound Podcast” with Ian Happ. “You go from playing at Wrigley Field and the Cubs to New York (and) Yankee Stadium. What more can you ask for?”

Anthony Rizzo came to New York in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. Rizzo has spent his entire major league career with the Cubs, where he was one of the most beloved players on the team. He played a big part in the Cub’s first World Series win in 107 years. The eleven-year veteran player has a 36.8 WAR with 244 home runs and a career batting average of .269. During his Yankee debut, he walked, had two hits, and hit his 15th home run of the season.

Rizzo turned 32 last season. He is a native of Parkland, Florida, and attended the same school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2007 draft by the Boston Red Sox. Rizzo’s minor league career started at 17 in 2007 in the rookie class with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. He was an immediate success.

In December of 2010, Rizzo was traded to the San Diego Padres. After not making the team in spring training to start the 2011 season, he was assigned to the Tucson Padres. Rizzo was called up to the majors after hitting .365 with an OPS of 1.159 and 16 home runs and 63 RBI in 200 at-bats over 52 games in Tucson. He hit his first major league home run on June 11, 2011.

During the winter of 2012, he was scheduled to be the Padres starting first baseman because of his excellent play, but the Padres acquired Yonder Alonso, who ended up getting the job. Shortly thereafter, Rizzo was traded to the Chicago Cubs.

Rizzo started the 2012 season with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. His results with the Cubs were the same as with the Padres. He batted .342 with 23 home runs and 62 RBIs. The Cubs promoted him to the big team, where it was hoped he could help the teams’ struggling offense. He became the first player in Cubs history to have three game-winning RBIs in his first five games. In July, he was named Rookie of the month. He ended his first season with the Cubs with a .285 batting average and 15 home runs.

In 2013, Rizzo cemented himself as a great player and fan favorite. Fans learned that not only was he a good player but a really nice person. In 2014, he earned his first All-Star game and came in 10th in the MVP voting. He would be an All-Star for the next three years and an MVP candidate for the next five years. He was also a Silver Slugger and a four-time Gold Glover. In 2016, he helped the Chicago Cubs win their first World Series in over 107 years, the longest World Series drought in baseball history.

He was an integral part of the last three victories over the Los Angeles Dodgers. He led the team to their first World Series appearance since 1945. He would have 5 RBIs in the World Series and would score 7 runs that led the Chicago Cubs to their first World Series win since 1908. That year he would also win the Esurance MLB Award for the best media personality. He also won the defensive award saving 11 runs for the Cubs and led all first baseman getting him his first Fielding Bible Award. He was also nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award. He also got his third MLBPAA Cubs Heart and Hustle Award.

On September 2, 2017, Rizzo became the fourth Cubs player to hit at least 30 home runs, 30 doubles, and 100 RBIs in three or more seasons. For the season, he batted .273/.392/.507 with 32 home runs and 109 RBIs. Unfortunately, he also led the major leagues getting bonked 24 times. On October 27, Rizzo was named the 2017 recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award for his charity’s work to find a cure for childhood cancer. Of winning the award, Rizzo said, “This is amazing. The greatest award you can win. It will go front and center in front of anything I’ve ever done.” In 2018 he had another 101 RBIs. In 2019 he had the highest batting average of his career (.293) with 27 home runs.

The shortened 2020 season was a disappointing season for Rizzo, as it was for many players. He hit only .222 on the season. But he still got the equivalent of 23 home runs and earned his fourth Gold Glove Award at first base. This season he has bounced back with 14 home runs for the Cubs and a batting average of .248. The Cubs offered Rizzo a five-year $70 million extension earlier in the season, which he refused.

With the extension refusal and becoming a free agent in 2022, the Chicago Cubs made the difficult decision to let loose of their long-time favorite player and trade him to the New York Yankees. Anthony Rizzo is probably not the player he was in his prime, but he could help the Yankees to their first World Series since 2009. The Cubs were so appreciative of Rizzos’ time with the Cub, and for the man he is, they produced a short video honoring and thanking him.

With the Yankees last season he hit 249 while hitting 8 home runs in just 49 games. Not only does Rizzo produce at the plate, but he also gives the Yankees defense at first base that they have not seen since Mark Teixeira. However, questions still are unanswered as to if he will return in pinstripes. Although the home purchase in Connecticut can’t be verified, Rizzo has said he sold his home in Chicago.

Yankees’ trade deadline acquisition loved his time in New York: Will he come back?

by
anthony rizzo, yankees

In more than a few ways, first baseman Anthony Rizzo was a solution for the New York Yankees when he came over from the Chicago Cubs right before the trade deadline. The team wasn’t getting any production from the first base position, as Luke Voit spent a lot of time on the shelf, and they needed some offensive and defensive stability, a left-handed hitter, and a veteran presence.

For the most part, Rizzo delivered, even if his offensive numbers were underwhelming. With the Yankees, he hit .249/.340/.428 with eight home runs and a 113 wRC+: it was far from the 145-155 wRC+ he used to have at peak, but age and decline come for all of us, and the 32-year-old slugger isn’t the exception. His best years do seem to be behind him.

Despite the somewhat disappointing offensive output, Rizzo was a worthwhile addition for the Yankees. He was a veteran leader, a clubhouse darling, he got on base, and played some very good defense, as always. Most importantly, he apparently had a good time in the Bronx.

The Yankees could still bring back Rizzo

“The time in New York was great. We loved it,” Rizzo said on Jomboy Media’s Compound Podcast (link to SI.com article here). “We lived in the Upper West Side. Lived near (Central Park). Took Kevin (his dog) to the park pretty much every day in the morning, a nice stroll through Central Park. Got to basically live in the city for two or three months and enjoy New York City for those two or three months and then playing baseball for the Yankees, it was a good time. We really enjoyed it.

“You put that uniform on for the first time, it’s definitely special. … There’s only a few jerseys around this league that when you put them on, it’s different, and the Yankees are definitely one of them.”

Voit’s future with the Yankees is uncertain, and there is a fair chance the team brings back Rizzo for 2022, depending on their pursuit of fellow first baseman Matt Olson (via trade) and Freddie Freeman (via free agency).

Yankees’ Anthony Rizzo makes bold claim about baseballs from 2021

by
anthony rizzo, yankees

The New York Yankees and the other MLB teams were surprised when MLB changed the baseball that was in play mid-season. Understandably the baseball is the most important piece of equipment in the game. It affects the pitcher, as does the hitter.

Over the last several seasons, the ball has changed from year to year. Players were both surprised and disturbed that it was changed mid-season during 2021. It appears that keeping the ball the same is not a priority for MLB. It should be something to be discussed during the present CBA talks for a new contract. In just the last few years, we have gone from an ordinary ball to a juiced ball and then to a dead ball in 2021.

Take a look at these numbers:

  • 2014: 0.86 home runs and 4.07 runs per team per game (lowest-scoring season since 1981)
  • 2019: 1.39 home runs and 4.83 runs per team per game (most prolific home run season ever)
  • 2020: A juiced ball that saw more home runs than in the past decade.
  • 2021: MLB introduced the dead ball, the results were noticeable. There were 873 home runs in 2021 compared to the last 162 game season with 1,144 in 2019.

Changes in the ball shift the game beyond what most fans realize. Launch angle changes, defense, and offense also both change. In 2014, the league slugged .386, but that has increased to 4.35, a 58 point increase over the past five years. Another problem for pitchers and hitters alike is the MLB is not always transparent with these ball changes. They did announce before the 2021 season that there would be very minor changes to the ball, it deadened it for 2021. The result was fewer home runs, but then they changed the ball again mid-season leading to more home runs in the second half.

The deadened ball was a boon to pitchers but didn’t please hitters as fewer balls traveled over the fences. Just a minor change in the ball can keep it from going just a few extra feet, resulting in fewer home runs in all parks. One player that commented on the change was the Yankees’ first baseman, Anthony Rizzo.

Free-agent first baseman Anthony Rizzo claimed during a podcast appearance this week that he noticed the change in the baseball last season that MLB used. 

“I would take the balls this year and feel on them and be like, ‘Man, this seems harder,'” Rizzo said on Compound Podcast, hosted by his former Chicago Cubs teammate Ian Happ, per NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty. “And then you take some of them, and you’re like, ‘Feel how soft this is compared to what they were.’ It’s crazy.” Happ, agreed with Rizzo. He added: “They started flying in the middle of the year and you’re like, what’s going on?”

Commissioner Rob Manfred has been criticized for many things during his tenure, and this was just another one. Manfred and MLB have experienced some controversy over how the baseballs are made or weighted for years now. The league even investigated in 2019 when they commissioned their look into the subject. They found that the ball was not intentionally changed, and instead, it credited the change to hitter behavior, causing more home runs. Since then, we learned the ball was fiddled with, making it travel further.

Fans, pitchers, and hitters all believe the ball should not be tinkered with from year to year and that in no case should it be changed during the season. MLB and the players union should decide on a ball and stick with it. After originally saying there wasn’t a change in the ball, this season finally admitted that the ball changed but not on purpose. Due to the pandemic, there was a shortage of balls, and MLB had to change suppliers.

Rizzo, who played for the Cubs and Yankees this past season, is now a free agent. He has let it be known that he would like to stay in New York, but the Yankees have made no decision on who will be the starting first baseman this coming season. They did retain Luke Voit, leaving him as an option.

The latest on the New York Yankees first base situation

by
anthony rizzo, yankees

The New York Yankees have had a very slow start to the offseason, much slower than many would’ve expected. Sure, they’ve made a few roster moves, but there have been no free agent signings or big trades thus far.

One major area of need is the shortstop position and that appears to be Brian Cashman’s top priority at the moment. However, there’s another very important infield position that Cashman will also be looking at and that’s first base.

The Yankees currently have Luke Voit, but all expectations are that the bombers are looking to move on from Voit. They tried hard to move him at the trade deadline this year and they have already put him on the block this offseason.

You’ll notice that when scenarios are thrown out about first base with the Yankees, Voit’s name is rarely discussed. So, what is the latest with the Yanks and first base? Well, there are a few options out there at the moment and Cashman is in on all of them.

Yankees First Base Options for 2022

The hottest offseason rumor for the Yankees is the proposed trade with the Oakland Athletics that would net the Yanks All Star Matt Olson. Oakland is looking to shed some salary and with Olson expected to make $12 million next year, they’ve made him available.

The Yankees and A’s have already had dialogue on the potential deal. However, they remain far apart and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman said that the A’s are ‘shooting for the moon’. They should given Olson’s production and the fact that he comes with two years of control.

The Yankees have also met with the representatives of Freddie Freeman. However, this is being looked at as more of a check the box type of meeting than a serious discussion. Nobody in the industry is expecting Freddie Freeman to leave Atlanta.

Then you have Anthony Rizzo. Cashman has already talked about a potential reunion with Rizzo with Rizzo’s agent early in the offseason. Rizzo is said to have really enjoyed his time with the Yankees and he checks a ton of boxes for New York.

Lockout Looming

However, the latest word is that New York and Rizzo are far apart in a potential deal. With the looming CBA lockout, it’s starting to look more and more like the Yanks aren’t going to do anything major before the lockout which is going to really put them in a time crunch. If a lockout occurs, most expect it to last until February.

The post-lockout timing could create havoc on the market. For free agency and for trades, teams are going to have a very short window to fill a ton of needs. This will drive prices even higher. In my opinion, it would have been much better for the Yankees to take care of some needs before the mad scramble in February.

The idea has been floated that DJ LeMahieu plays first next year, but I just can’t see that happening. I think the Yankees want a left-handed first baseman and I’m convinced that either Matt Olson or Anthony Rizzo will be at first next year. Currently, I’m leaning towards a Rizzo reunion being the most likely outcome.

Sound Off: Who do you want to see at first next year? Let us know in the comments!

New York Yankees Analysis: Will Anthony Rizzo wear the pinstripes again?

by
anthony rizzo, yankees

The New York Yankees traded with the Chicago Cubs for Anthony Rizzo just before the trade deadline; after he spent 10 years with the Cubs. He immediately made an impact hitting over .400 and getting two home runs in his first series with the Yankees against the Miami Marlins. Yankee fans were both amazed and thought they had another big time star player, but that performance soon deteriorated for the remainder of the season except for a few shining moments.

He ended his season with the Yankees hitting .a pedestrian .249 with only eight home runs. Rizzo is now a free agent who has made it very clear that he would like to remain in New York via a family member. He is coming off a $16 million per year contract. The problem with that figure for both Rizzo and the Yankees is that his down the stretch performance wasn’t worth that kind of money.

However, there were many pluses to acquiring Rizzo. Big time was his defense at first base which was a big upgrade from anyone else that played first in 2021. He had a lefty bat that helped the Yankees create a different look to the lineup. Also for a team that strikes out a lot; Rizzo doesn’t. He is a three time Gold Glover at first base.

The Yankees have a lot of nuts to crack this offseason, a major one is who to replace Gleyber Torres with at short, but they also need to shore up the starting rotation and get an everyday centerfielder to match up with Aaron Hicks, who can’t seem to stay healthy.  The need for production and defense at first base seldom gets the attention it deserves.

Although Luke Voit hit the most home runs in 2020; he fell flat in 2021 when he was bogged down with injuries. He hit only .239 with only eleven home runs. Voit has played in only an average of 70 games in each of his four seasons with the Yankees. Rizzo has performed better at first than any first baseman since Mark Teixeira. With Rizzo seemingly wanting to stay in pinstripes, the only question remaining is if the Yankees can come to a deal that will be acceptable to both parties.

Rizzo will be 33 years old this coming season, contract length will also be an issue for the Yankees. One thing is for sure, for Rizzo to remain in the Bronx he will have to take a huge salary reduction and for less years than he would like, otherwise the Yankees will let him walk.

New York Yankees: Offseason pot starting to really stir, what’s next?

by
justin verlander, yankees

For the New York Yankees and the other 29 MLB teams, they find themselves almost two weeks from the Atlanta  Braves World Series win, their first since 1995, two weeks from the baseball collective bargaining agreement deadline, the Rule 5 draft, you get the idea, there is a lot going on as the postseason heats up.

Yankees look to Justin Verlander to shore up pitching staff?

Is there a reuniting of starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander in the Yankees near future?  It seems the Yankees may be stalling a bit in their desire to get the best Yankee shortstop on the market, in favor of zoning in on solving the Yankees starting rotation first. This may be caused by all the early movement in the pitching market ongoing. The Mets’ Noah Syndergaard going with the Angels, the Tigers officially announced their five-year deal for Eduardo Rodriguez.  The Blue Jays announced they would be extending José Berríos for $131 million. That’s a lot of movement this early in the postseason.

The news floating around is the the New York Yankees have spoken to Verlander and his agent about a two year deal. Justin will be 39 at the beginning of the 2022 season. ESPNS’ Jeff Passan indicated Verlander could sign with a team as early as this week. But that’s not all, Passan went as far as to predict that Verlander will end up signing with the Yankees. According to Passan the two sides spoke on November 9th, but at that time a deal was not imminent. The scuttlebutt is that Verlander is open to playing in the Bronx.

Update: According to  Verlander’s brother he will remain with the Astros, the team that turned his career around. He will sign a one year $25 million deal. So it’s back to the drawing board for Cashman and the Yankees.

Hold on, maybe no big name SS after all

Very early on in the postseason general manager Brian Cashman made it known that he wanted a new shortstop for the Yankees and most likely a big name. Over the last few weeks that idea may have changed somewhat in favor of a stop gap measure while the Yankees wait a year or two for the Yankees’ two prospects to mature to major league ready.

The Yankees have been considering Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, among others, but the Yankees may surprise with a short contract deal as a stop gap, instead of spending the big money. Instead putting some of the money into centerfield and first base.

John Heyman of MLB.com says first base is a leading need for the Yankees

One of the earlier situations the Yankees must solve is what to do with free agent Anthony Rizzo. Once they solve that, they can move on to other infield moves. As it is right now, the Yankees have three possible first basemen. Rizzo, DJ LeMahieu and Luke Voit. Luke Voit, the once-heralded player, hasn’t been able to stay healthy for the last few years and is probably on the trading block. Gold Glover DJ LeMahieu played all the infield positions other than shortstop due to Gleyber Torres being moved back to second base after a two-year failed experiment as a shortstop.

There is no question that the Yankees still want a production lefty at first base. There is also news swirling around that they are looking at Oakland’s slugger Matt Olson, a rising star that the Yankees would like to trade for. This writer believes that Luke Voit’s time with the Yankees is limited. He is a righty that can’t stay healthy. A big name first baseman may leave Gleyber Torres in a Miguel Andujar situation, a past talent with no place to play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New York Yankees interested in a big deal with the Oakland Athletics

by
yankees, matt olson

The GM meetings are going on currently and the New York Yankees are preparing to act quickly this offseason. While some teams are taking the slow approach with the potential lockout coming, other teams are looking to strike early and often.

I’ve talked with a couple of people that are at the meetings who say the Yankees are giving off the vibe as one of those early and often teams. There are several big needs for the Bronx Bombers this offseason. Brian Cashman told the media yesterday that he’s already engaged in conversations with two top shortstops.

This has been confirmed by Jim Bowden to be Carlos Correa and Corey Seager. Buster Onley of ESPN said this morning that the Yankees appear to be zeroing in on the very top of the shortstop market. This shouldn’t surprise anyone given the talent at the top of the market.

One other area the Yankees need to address is first base. While they still have Luke Voit, all indications are that they are moving on from Voit this offseason. At the trade deadline, they acquired Anthony Rizzo who provided much better defense and balance to the lineup from the left side of the plate.

Cashman has said that the Yankees have already discussed a reunion with Rizzo’s agent. However, there’s another big name the Yanks are interested in at first base. That name is Matt Olson and by all indications, New York is interested in doing big business with Oakland.

Will the Yankees and A’s make a big deal?

If you know Brian Cashman, you know that he likes to make deals with the same GMs. Cashman and Billy Beane have a great relationship. If there’s a deal to be made, Cashman would rather do it with a guy like Beane who he trusts.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network has already confirmed that the Yankees have had discussions to acquire Matt Olson. Of course, nothing is imminent or even remotely close. However, the Yanks are interested in acquiring the superstar first baseman and for good reason.

I absolutely love Anthony Rizzo, but Matt Olson is better all the way around. He’s younger, under team control, and he just happened to hit 39 bombs last year from the left side of the plate. He’s also a two-time gold glove winner.

If a deal make sense, the Yanks preference would likely be to acquire Olson. However, if the prospect ask is too high, they do appear to be very in on resigning Anthony Rizzo to play first. If the Yankees were to acquire Olson from Oakland, the deal might not stop there.

Olson Plus Pitching?

Jon Heyman reported that Oakland is ready to sell this offseason and that they will listen to offers on starters Chris Bassitt, Frankie Montas, and Sean Manaea. The Yankees are in the market for starting pitching right now and are already in on Justin Verlander.

There is the possibility that the Yankees and A’s could do a huge deal that would involve Olson and one of the starters above. Of course, the deal would have to hurt from a prospect standpoint for New York. I would imagine that Luke Voit would also go back to Oakland in this kind of a deal.

At this point there’s no momentum towards a deal happening, but this is definitely something to monitor. Again, Cashman and Beane have a great working relationship. If there’s a deal to be had there, the Yankees could make a big splash early like they did when they got James Paxton in 2018.

New York Yankees: The Rizzo, DJ, Voit question unsolved

by
yankees, corey seager

The New York Yankees have some pretty tough questions to answer during this offseason. General Manager Brian Cashman has made it clear acquiring a shortstop is his priority. That may be the case, but he has several other problems to resolve, including a reliable centerfielder, an ace-like starting pitcher, and, oh yes, what to do with the logjam at first base. But, of course, the biggest question to answer at first is, do the Yankees resign Anthony Rizzo?

One of the earlier situations the Yankees must solve is what to do with free agent Anthony Rizzo. Once they solve that, they can move on to other infield moves. As it is right now, the Yankees have three possible first basemen. Rizzo, DJ LeMahieu and Luke Voit. Luke Voit, the once-heralded player, hasn’t been able to stay healthy for the last few years and is probably on the trading block. Gold Glover DJ LeMahieu played all the infield positions other than shortstop due to Gleyber Torres being moved back to second base after a two-year failed experiment as a shortstop.

First, let’s look at the shortstop position. Many MLB insiders like Jon Heyman think the Yankees’ general manager may make a big splash in the market, securing either lefty Corey Seager or the less likely Carlo Correa. There are two strikes against Correa, the cost, and his involvement in the Astros 2017 cheating scandal that may have cost the Yankees a World Series appearance. Heyman thinks that Seager is the near-perfect fit for the Yankees. Another route Cashman could take is taking the cheaper avenue by hiring Javier Baez and spending his money on another starting pitcher.

General Operating Partner Hal Steinbrenner has not weighed in on if he is willing to go over the luxury tax threshold now that the Yankees have again failed in the postseason. So much of what Cashman can do will be guided by how much money he is allowed to spend and what revenue he can free via the trade market. The most apparent trading piece is Luke Voit, as he is expendable, having no everyday place to play. But in a shocking move, don’t be overly surprised if the Yankees deal Gleyber Torres.

Many Yankee fans may balk at getting rid of Torres, but actually, it would solve many problems for the Yankees. Consider that Torres has not grown as a Yankee, and he is no longer the 22 year old with a bright future. The pluses for the Yankees is he could be a good find for another team and would be a good part of a trade package. But maybe the biggest plus for the Yankees is that it would put other star players back in their regular positions. Rizzo at first, LeMahieu at second, and Gio Urshela at third. Solving this would no longer require manager Aaron Boone the everyday decision of who to play where.

None of this can be accomplished until the Yankees decide to lure Rizzo back to the Yankees. Rizzo will turn 33 next season, so the Yankees probably won’t offer a long-term contract. On the other hand, Rizzo has clearly stated that he loves New York and wants to retire as a Yankee. So, that is not a problem. They just have to decide on a price and how long Rizzo wants to play. If the Yankees can resign Rizzo and snatch up Seager, half of their offseason problems will be solved; they can then concentrate on finding a dependable centerfielder if they choose not to bring Brett Gardner back for the fifteenth season. Then look to how to shore up the starting rotation.

Gerrit Cole will be serving out the third year of his monster contract. Jameson Taillon will be back for another year, as will Jordan Montgomery. Beyond that, there are questions, will the Yankees sign Corey Kluber. It was initially thought that Kluber would use the Yankees as a stepping stone to a more significant contract if he could return to his Cy Young form. However, the bottom line is that although he had the Yankees’ first no-hitter since 1999, he was also out half the year with his lingering shoulder problems. Other starter questions may not be answered until spring training. Can Luis Severino and Domingo German be effective pitchers next season? There is also news that the Yankees might consider another risky move by going after Justin Verlander, a free agent coming off Tommy John surgery.

One thing is for sure; the Yankees are projected to have a very active offseason to fix the team to be championship-caliber again. A team that will be able to get over that hump of getting to a long-awaited 28th Championship.

Yankees: Reports indicate this slugger wants to come back to the Bronx

by
anthony rizzo, yankees

It’s still early in the offseason for the New York Yankees. The World Series will begin on Tuesday, between the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves, and the Bombers, once again, have to see it on TV. But that doesn’t mean they can’t start to make some preliminary plans with the 2022 campaign in mind.

They have already announced that manager Aaron Boone will be back under a three-year contract with an option for the 2025 season. Additionally, coaches Phil Nevin, Marcus Thames, PJ Pillitere, and Reggie Willits won’t be back with the Yankees.

As far as players go, however, it’s still too early to make decisions. However, one slugger who came to the Yankees via trade in late July is reportedly open to the idea of coming back to New York.

Are the Yankees willing to re-sign Rizzo?

According to what a family member told Bob Klapisch, first baseman Anthony Rizzo “is quite eager to return to Yankees in 2022. That’s an important first step, assuming NYY want him back. Have to assume they do,” he wrote in his Twitter account.

Rizzo didn’t have a particularly good showing with the Yankees when it comes to offense. He slashed .249/.340/.428, with eight home runs and a .768 OPS. He wasn’t particularly good with the Chicago Cubs, either, but does add a nice on-base threat to the lineup and elite defense at the cold corner.

The problem with the Yankees committing long-term to Rizzo would be his age and seemingly declining skills. The left-handed hitter is already 32 and his best years are seemingly behind him, unless he makes some changes in the batter’s box.

Rizzo’s last season with an OPS over .800 was 2019, when he slashed .293/.405/.520 with a .924 OPS. The Yankees would be paying for a declining asset at the plate, and it remains to be seen if they are willing to do so.

New York Yankees: All the Yankees news in one place

by
anthony rizzo, yankees

The New York Yankees lost the wild card game to the rival Boston Red Sox and are sitting back watching other teams reach for their dreams, while they are still licking the wounds of another failed season, not advancing in the postseason. But baseball goes on for four teams. The Atlanta Braves lead the Lost Angeles Dodgers two games to none as they travel back to Los Angeles to play the next three games if necessary. The Houston Astros travel to Fenway Park where they are 1-1 in their seven-game contest with the Red Sox.

Even with all this on-field action still going on, don’t think for a minute that the Yankee front office is dormant, it’s not. Although many of the players are back home watching games from their couches the front office is full steam ahead planning improvements for the upcoming 2022 season.

The Yankees make coaching changes

The New York Yankees, even before the end of the World Series have already made some major changes to the staff. Hitting coach Marcus Thames will not be returning in 2022. Also highly thought off third base coach Phil Nevin, will also not have his contract renewed, after a very bad mistake ushering Aaron Judge home and being called out by at least twelve feet. ESPN has also reported that Assitant Hitting Coach P. J. Pilittere’s contract will not have his contract renewed either.

It’s no secret that the Yankee players hitting was darn right awful this year, except for Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Everyone wondered what was going on with one of the most powerful lineups in baseball, that went through long periods of lackluster hitting. At the end of the season, fans wondered who would be held responsible, Cashman, Boone, or Thames; it appears the hitting department is paying the price.

The Yankees may trade some major players

Since the end of the Yankee season, several names have come up as being possibly traded including Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez, Luke Voit, and Joey Gallo, mostly due to not performing as expected. The Torres and Sanchez situation has gone on for more than one season. Neither has grown as a Yankee and their performance is still suspect. Voit is a different situation, he can’t stay healthy, and now with the addition of Anthony Rizzo is more of a loose end than anything else. Joey Gallo is still a different scenario. He has batted under the interstate and many fans want to see him go.

Will the Yankees re-sign Anthony Rizzo?

When the Yankees acquired Anthony Rizzo at the trade deadline, they did so knowing that he was a free agent at the end of the season. Now the question is, did he play well enough for the Yankees to be re-signed. Two things are evident, Rizzo wants to play for the Yankees, but the question is; if the Yankees want to pay him enough to stay around.

Few players play for one historic franchise to play for yet another. Rizzo thought he would play out his career in Chicago, after all, he played for the Cubs for a decade and won a World Series ring with them, as he blossomed into one of the best players to play the game. But, then he came to the Yankees. Upon his arrival, he played better than anyone would have guessed, but as the season wore on he wasn’t as good. Nevertheless, he is an elite first baseman with some pop that the Yankees haven’t seen since Mark Teixeira. Now the Yankees have to decide if they want that defense and production that they have been missing for years.

To keep Rizzo on the team, it will probably cost the Yankees in the neighborhood of $12-20 million a year, according to the length of the contract. Rizzo is 32 years old. He has made it clear in interviews that he would like to end his career in the Bronx.

Yankee minor leaguers to get major upgrade

Anyone that follows baseball knows that there have been some big changes in the minor leagues. A complete re-aligning of the teams themselves, drastically reducing the number of affiliates, and upgrades to remaining locations. Minor leaguers also got a pay raise from $290 a week to $500 a week for the most junior players. This is far from a living wage causing six or more players to rent one apartment with many of them sleeping on mattresses on the floor, and sharing expenses. For some that run out of money they find themselves sleeping in their cars while they juggle second jobs just to get by.

Living in situations like this causes both physical and mental problems that could also cause problems with their on-field performance. Luckily, this problem will mostly go away for the 2022 season. MLB, with the agreement of all 30 major league owners will now provide either lodging or stipends to cover housing expenses for most minor leaguers. The Houston Astros on their own rewarded their minor league players during the 2021 season. Over the years obtaining affordable housing has been the major problem facing these young players while they pursue their dreams of playing in the majors.

Some abritation eligible players will make big money in 2022

The New York Yankees have a boatload of players that are now abritation eligible, some are going to bring in the big bucks. According to MLBTradeRumors.com; 19 Yankees are eligible for raises after this season. They have also provided the project amounts of those new raises. Here are some of the most notible:

  • Aaron Judge: $17.1 million
  • Joey Gallo $10.2 million
  • Gary Sanchez $7.9 million
  • Gio Urshela $6.2 million
  • Gleyber Torres $5.9 million
  • Luke Voit $5.4 million
  • Jordan Montgomery $4.8 millon
  • Chad Green $4.7 million
  • The other 11 are less, all the way down to Tyler Wade @ $700K.