With Juan Soto, Gleyber Torres, and three of their most relied upon bullpen arms entering free agency, the New York Yankees need for a first baseman has taken a back seat.
But that does not make it any less important.
Last Saturday, the Yankees declined Anthony Rizzo’s $17 million club option for the 2025 season, paying a $6 million buyout to send him into free agency.
The 35-year-old first baseman posted a .637 OPS over 92 games and failed to hit a home run after returning from a fractured forearm that kept him sidelined from mid-June through the end of August.
While a reunion is not out of the question, the Yankees have essentially signaled that they do not believe Rizzo’s value justifies the additional $11 million they would have paid to retain him.
The team’s internal options to replace him include utility player Oswaldo Cabrera and rookie Ben Rice, who posted a .171/.264/.349 slash line with seven home runs in 50 games—numbers that could prompt the Yankees to look for a more established option elsewhere.
Here is a breakdown of who is currently available in free agency