Another new day, another drama in the Bronx! This time, it’s the Yankees’ first baseman, Anthony Rizzo, who makes it clear to lose a vital year just for the sake of protecting the future free agents. The 35-year-old Rizzo is still searching for the perfect landing spot after becoming a free agent. So, why did he make such a statement?

Well, before delving deeper into the discussion, let’s view Rizzo’s recent 2024 record: he had a batting average of .228, .301 OBP, .636 OPS, 35 RBIs, and eight home runs. His recent performance has not been as expected, as his power numbers dropped; however, it’s not at all surprising for him, as he knows the problems. The good side of things—he wishes not to ruin the market of the next player who may be waiting in the queue to get a chance. Makes sense?

Well, yes; Anthony Rizzo suffered a concussion, which led to a poor 2024 season. Not only was he hurt twice, but also his stats dropped considerably; however, that didn’t stop him from confessing that, as he always tried to remain true to his game. Also, age is not on his side—Rizzo said, “Then last year, I was hurt twice. My power numbers dropped. I’m surprised, but not like crazy surprised, just because I’m a realist in the game and you’re getting older. The fact that teams want you to play for basically league minimum ($760,000), I’m like, you guys are crazy. You’re almost trying to ruin the market for the next guy.”

Anthony Rizzo is now 35 years old, and there’s uncertainty over his performance in the next few years, isn’t it? That’s the reason most of the teams want the players to play for a minimum of $760,000. However, Rizzo pointed out clearly that he wouldn’t sign a deal that might affect the earning ability of the players who are behind him and look to become top prospects in the future. In that case, even a loss of one year doesn’t matter much for him. However, there’s bad news as the New York Yankees replaced him with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

The New York Yankees get Paul Goldschmidt

The free agency trade is not as expected for the veterans, as no team wants to pay a few million dollars for them. However, Anthony Rizzo, now 35 years old, still has a lot to offer, although he’s still waiting to find the perfect landing spot. Now, with the Yankees declining his $17 million offer, they have signed the first baseman, Paul Goldschmidt, for a one-year, $12.5 million contract. Sounds legit?

Well, Goldschmidt is even older than Rizzo; however, he is doing well in 2025, as he managed a .500 average, one RBI, and a .500 OPS. Goldschmidt, now 37, has had his offense decline in the past couple of seasons after winning the National League MVP award in 2022, although he participated in 154 games, which indicates his consistency. While replacing Rizzo might not be the best decision made by the Yankees, we all will have to wait to see what future awaits the New York Yankees.

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