Inside The Pinstripes

Ex-Yankee Anthony Rizzo Viewed as Fit for Unexpected NL Team

Former Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo has been linked to a compelling NL team in free agency.

Grant Young

Jul 22, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (48) reacts after striking out against the Kansas City Royals during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jul 22, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (48) reacts after striking out against the Kansas City Royals during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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On December 21, the New York Yankees announced that they had signed 2022 NL MVP and former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year, $12.5 million deal.

This signing seemed to confirm one of the worst-kept secrets within the Yankees community: that the franchise would be moving on from veteran first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

This does not come as a surprise, given how injury-riddled Rizzo has been over the past few seasons and his sub-par production when he has been on the field.

Therefore, the 35-year-old Rizzo (who is an unrestricted free agent) must find a new team. And a December 28 article from MLB.com suggested that the Miami Marlins are a "realistic" fit for the three-time All-Star and 2016 World Series champion.

"After selecting a catcher in the Rule 5 Draft, it's unlikely Miami will try and bring in a veteran backstop through free agency," MLB.com writer Christina De Nicola wrote.

"By moving Jake Burger, the Marlins’ 40-man roster has just one first baseman with MLB experience starting at the position: Jonah Bride. Why not bring the local kid, Rizzo, home? Miami's clubhouse could use a veteran position player. Plus, this would give prospects like Deyvison De Los Santos and Agustin Ramirez more time to develop in the Minors," she added.

The Marlins are an intriguing destination for Rizzo; if only because many fans would like to see him re-sign with the Chicago Cubs instead, where he is beloved after playing there from 2012-2021.

But perhaps a completely fresh coat of paint is exactly what Rizzo needs to rebound at this late stage of his career.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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