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Anthony Rizzo’s $17 million contract option declined by Yankees for 2025 season MLB | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumours

Online Niel November 3, 2024

BRONX, NY - SEPTEMBER 25: New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (48) walks third base and scores a run on New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto's (not pictured) RBI single during the ninth inning of the Major League Baseball game. Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees on September 25, 2024 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

After four seasons with the New York Yankees, Anthony Rizzo is a free agent.

Yankees announced on Saturday, they declined the $17 million team option on the veteran first baseman for the 2025 season.

The Yankees originally acquired Rizzo in July 2021 in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. He’s had a strong start to his tenure in the Bronx, including a .224/.338/.480 slash line and 32 homers in the 2022 season.

Rizzo signed a two-year contract worth a guaranteed $40 million with the Yankees in November 2022, which included a $17 million team option for 2025 or a $6 million buyout. He will receive the $6 million if the option is declined.

Jorge Castillo @jorgecastillo

The Yankees announced they declined Anthony Rizzo’s $17 million club option for 2025. They will pay him a $6 million buyout.

Things didn’t go too well for Rizzo in New York after he got that contract. He hit just .237/.315/.358 with 20 home runs in 191 games combined over the past two seasons. The three-time All-Star appeared in just 99 games during the 2024 campaign because of a broken arm and fractured fingers.

The finger injury kept Rizzo out of the Yankees’ ALDS roster against the Kansas City Royals, but returned for the ALCS and World Series.

At this point in his career, Rizzo shouldn’t be considered an everyday player. His performance hasn’t been particularly good at a position where the bar for offense is high. He’s also had trouble staying on the field recently.

Rizzo can still be useful as a veteran presence who has a good eye at the plate. His best offensive traits last season was his 80 percent whiff rate (19.3 percent) and 74 percent strikeout rate (17.3 percent).