While the 2025 Major League Baseball Opening Day is just a month away, first baseman Anthony Rizzo is still without a team. Injuries could be a factor for him, as he is still a free agent this late in the offseason.
Though he played in 92 games last season, Rizzo suffered a wrist injury after colliding with Brennan Bernardino. He also dealt with a concussion after a collision at first base and a broken knuckle after getting hit by a pitch.
Despite the forearm injury, Rizzo still batted a decent .267 with a .721 OPS during the postseason. However, it wasn’t enough for the Yankees to activate his $17 million option. Instead, they paid him $6 million to buy out his contract. What’s more puzzling is that the Yankees replaced the 35-year-old Rizzo with 37-year-old Paul Goldschmidt, whom they gave a one-year, $12.5 million contract.
Some teams, like the Pittsburgh Pirates, showed interest in getting Rizzo. However, nothing has materialized even with Spring Training ongoing. In that case, as he shared with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Rizzo is also considering retirement. If he ends his playing career, he will finish with three All-Star selections, four Gold Glove awards, and a World Series victory with the Chicago Cubs.
-Lance Fernandez