Anthony Rizzo remains unsigned as Spring Training gets underway. The 35-year-old first baseman tells Ken Rosenthal and Brendan Kuty of The Athletic that he’s hopeful of finding a landing spot for the upcoming season. However, he suggested he’s been underwhelmed by the interest he’s received even relative to diminished expectations.
“Two years ago, I had kind of a weird year with the concussion,” Rizzo conceded to The Athletic. “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. I’m like, you guys are crazy. You’re almost trying to ruin the market for the next guy.”
Rizzo nevertheless made clear that he wants to keep playing. “I’m going to train until the season starts and even well into the season and see what happens,” the three-time All-Star said. However, he acknowledged that the market hasn’t been kind to aging hitters. “I think I have a lot to give to the game still. But at the same time, if teams are not going to want to pay a few million dollars for veterans, I’ve seen it the last 10 years of my career. It’s what happens to the older guys. They kind of get squeezed,” Rizzo told Rosenthal and Kuty. “You’ve seen it happen more and more. I’m not naive to it. It could be it.”
As Rizzo acknowledged, his past couple seasons have been impacted by myriad health issues. Initially acquired by the Yankees at the 2021 trade deadline, he re-signed on a two-year, $40MM deal after the ’22 campaign. That deal didn’t work out in large part because of injuries. Rizzo had been out to a nice start to the ’23 season. He injured his head in a collision at first base with Fernando Tatis Jr. in late May. Rizzo’s production tanked thereafter until the Yankees put him on the injured list in early August with post-concussion syndrome that they traced back to that collision. That ended his season.
The 14-year big league veteran returned last season. He got out to a slow start, hitting .224/.289/.341 across 291 plate appearances into the middle of June. Another freak injury resulted in an extended absence. Rizzo collided with Boston pitcher Brennan Bernardino at first base while trying to beat out a grounder. He broke a bone in his right arm on the fall and was immediately shelved into September. Rizzo returned for a few weeks, but he suffered another tough break when Pittsburgh reliever Ryan Borucki hit him with a pitch. That broke two fingers on his right hand. Rizzo missed the Division Series but returned for the ALCS and World Series. He reached base at an excellent .421 clip, though he only recorded one extra-base hit (a double) in 38 playoff plate appearances.
New York bought out Rizzo for $6MM in lieu of a $17MM club option, an easy call after the past couple seasons. There haven’t been any teams publicly linked to him over the past few months. MLBTR’s Steve Adams identified a few speculative fits for Rizzo and some other unsigned hitters in a post for Front Office subscribers this afternoon.
Dude will be a MLB manager in the future.
Nah
Am I understanding this right? He already has pocketed $6m and he’s talking about not playing for the minimum because it hurts the next guy? His 25 salary was factored in to his last deal and say he gets a $1m new deal plus incentives, it’s basically $7m minimum for 25. He needs to decide on my view whether he wants to play in 25 or not. His ego is apparently too bruised.
Yup, the MLBPA does not want older guys playing for 1-2M. It decreases the arb numbers when they get averaged into the equations.
That’s the fault of the arbitrator because it doesn’t matter who’s paying, in this case the Yankees paid him $6 to not play for them in 25.
@Dewey
He should at least be open to a minor league deal with a ST training invite with a mlb option for $2 plus incentives that bring it much higher based on PA. He needs an mlb forum to not only show his body is healthy and fully recovered, but his mind is too from the concussions symptoms.
Does it really? Or is it just the stats for guys in their arb years that are used for comparison?
Gee what’s the minimum salary in MLB ? 1mm? I’m sure lots of folks out there wouldn’t complain in this stagnant economy we have still since pandemic days…
*really* they paid him the sum total of his $20M AAV they negotiated.
The way to actually think about a contract like Rizzo’s was that it was 2 years/$40M or 3 years/$51M so really they just declined an $11M option on him.
He will manage dungeons and dragons with you in your grandmamas utility room
Everyone is so nice in the world. Geez what happened to general kindness?
You’d think with a veteran that’s had an illustrious career such as Rizzo he’d get a ticket playing firstbase somewhere? Guess they’re all like “how bad do you want another chance?” He’s like “You can shove it for that”
So pay him to play based on what he’s done in the past? That is a terrible strategy. On the other hand, who knows?
Two years as a first basemen with a really sub standard OPS that is trending downwards, he should definitely be in “bounce back year” mode accepting jobs with teams that can offer him enough playing time to build his value back up. Demanding an established job with a contender is really living in the past.
Wonder what the Yankees know?
That Paul Goldschmidt is looking pretty decent this spring so far and DJL can’t hit AAA pitching, Stroman doesn’t want to pitch out of the pen, and Alex Bregman is a member of the Red Sox. Oh and Gerrit Cole practiced covering first base all offseason
Post concussion syndrome effected Jim Edmonds for a while late in his career. Nobody wanted to sign him for the 2009 season and he turned it on down the stretch for chicago Cubs after struggling in San Diego in 2008. Did decent to begin 2010 at age 40. Rizzo is younger
IMO ‘general kindness’ went out the window about 2016 – when the country started believing greed and lies, were the thing.
@Dogbone you might not be old enough to remember the Me Generation. In some ways we’re seeing its reemergence, only more dumbed down and dangerous
I don’t think he is “demanding” anything in terms of playing time. I disagree with the idea of posting him more than minimum, but the nasty comments about his health and may couple years of his career are a bit harsh.
It’s 1 game thus far. relax
Well DDRAIG, everything since they’ve got all his medicals…
You mean 2020
Oh God…not another of these Trump obsessed cellar dwellers. Please stop. This is a MLB page. Go log in to subaruowners.com.
No, he meant 2016. Check today’s papers for yourself. Lower grocery prices on Day 1? Nope. Higher. Inflation down? Nope. Higher. Approval rating? Now circling the toilet except for you and his customers. Go buy another hat and a nice pair of gold sneakers if you have any money left.
That sounds so fun!
It’s a shame Rizzo’s career has come to such an abrupt ending!!
If he wants to continue playing, it will not be on a contending team as he always has played for. It will be on a team like the White Sox as a bench player.
Even though he might stoop that low —— hoping for that last glorious season, —- I think the end results will rip his heart and spirit out of this once great ballplayer.
I hope he can instantly find him a coaching hop instead!! Whether it’s in major league, or college baseball. Don Kessinger or Bobby Richardson style!!!
Playing MLB for $750,000 is a great gig. He’s just has an altered view because he’s been making in the millions. Play for the league minimum with incentives and show he still has something left post concussion and being in his mid-30s. It wasn’t just his bat that declined; his fielding tanked too.
All reports are he’s a great person, teammate and leader. Hopefully he gets another shot and wisely accepts it.
All reports are he’s a great person, teammate and leader. He’d tell you that himself. Except he too shy. Like Altuve.
He doesn’t want to upset the future market of aging 1b? Come on now
I think 84-year old Tommy McCraw should get his gear together and head to Florida.
Anthony is such a good dude I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. He was always at the kids cancer clinic around Chicago and such. But this comment reads really out of touch.
If he wants to take a minor league contract I’m sure he’ll find a spot.
He’s barely replacement level. Time comes for you all.
Hang it up. Sounds like he’s lucky to be coherent after all those collisions.
Pirates could sign him with an understanding that he’ll be released when Horowitz returns unless Yorke can play 1B.
Why would he do that though?
Seems like more of a deal for a true league minimum guy like Abreu or Gurriel
Yuli is a MiLB Padre… for now.
People need to see it from Rizzo’s perspective. He has no incentive to play a month or two for the league minimum when he already has made 130 million and can happily retire right now. He’s leaving the door cracked for a possible return, but it’ll only happen if a team pays him enough that its worth it for him to not retire
Spring Training just started, there will be injuries, a team will come calling. Just, realistically, Rizzo is probably looking at a one-year deal for around 5 million. Moncada got that from the Angels and he’s been riddled with injuries.
Moncada is also 6 years younger than Rizzo. He’s still in what would be considered his prime years as a player. Rizzo isn’t.
Moncada also plays more of a skill position-that is a poor comparison
He is allegedly 6 years younger
Probably more like 2 mil.
I wouldn’t go a penny over $2.5MM for ’25 Rizzo
All valid points, Rizzo is older and plays a position less central in the infield. He’s probably not getting more than 2 million.
Yankees just sign him! He is a good friend isn’t Judge and we need a DH at this point! Maybe his lefty swing can light it up again!
I’ve honestly been thinking this, too. I like Rizzo a lot and dude should still be playing. Sign to start at DH while Stanton os on the shelf and see how the roster shakes out after that.
Depends on how long Stanton could be out for. However, releasing a well-liked vet like Rizzo later on won’t be an option so they’ll need carry him all year. Creates a bit of a roster crunch with both DJL (if he doesn’t produce) and Rizzo.
Tbh we’ve already moved on from Rizzo so the fanbase knows the score and I think Cashman would lay that out. A contract doesn’t guarantee a full stay. He needs to play up to it.
It is disconcerting to hear about a guy complain about low-ball offers after making tens of millions already as a big leaguer. It was the same feeling hearing about Bregman being upset with a “pay cut” to $28.5 mill per year if he were to re-up with the Astros. I understand it’s all relative and a normal person working a normal career wouldn’t want a pay cut either, but it still can sound mind boggingly out of touch coming from a professional baseball player who has banked millions already.
“Low ball offers..pay cut relative to $28.5 mill”…Professional athletes are pretty much just like the Hollywood & Silicon Valley elite in America; aloof, out of touch, unappreciative and amazingly tone deaf.
I completely agree with your comment as to Bregman. With Rizzo you have a guy who was injured who is just disappointed that there is no interest. Yes, he is tone deaf on that, but I cut him some slack. I like guys who love the game so much they’ll play for the minimum after banking a ton or even to play in minors or a foreign league.
That reminds me of Robinson Cáno. Much vilified for his PED use but truly loves the game so much last I checked he was still playing in the Mexican League. Being a Mariners fan, I have a soft spot for him…yes he cheated but the reasons he did so had to do with wanting to be worth his big contract and not letting his fans down. At his prime he played a beautiful second base.
Manny Ramirez was that way too.
Cano was a teammate of Trevor Bauer last year in Mexico City. Led the Mexican League in batting (.432, IIRC), was voted MVP and the Diablos Rojos won the pennant. Lots of former MLBers south of the border.
Really goes to show how poor the quality is down there
Derek, Not sure what your bar is for poor quality. The Mexican summer league is regarded as a similar level of play to triple-A. yet when some completely unproven kid pus up big numbers in AAA, everyone here oohs and aahs and screams for his promoti0n.
@ Ignorant S-o-b…. Interesting take. Wondering from where you derive the idea that he plays for love of the game. Is it something you’ve read, or is it assumption due to the fact that he’s still playing? My perception is that he’s just playing out of an enormous sense of pride and a need to not feel washed up, and he’ll go anywhere where he can still be a big name. Your explanation for why he took PEDs might fly in Seattle, or for one offense. But doesn’t seem to cover his second time – at that point, the contract was no longer as big as it had been when he first signed it, and Seattle was paying down a part of it. Diaz, not Cano, was the real prize in the trade that brought him to NY. Steve Cohen had just bought the team, so the money wasn’t hamstringing their ability to spend, and the team was bad anyway.
Cano was a tack on, agreed. But wasn’t cano on the Mets a couple years before Cohen became majority owner?
geofft: Your timing is off. Cano and Diaz were traded to the Mets during the 2018-2019 offseason. Cohen bought the team after the 2020 season.
Blue Baron: You’ve misread what I said. When Cano joined the team isn’t the point vis a vis Cohen’s ownership. The point is that he took the steroids – again – after Cohen bought the team. And that the reason cited but Ignorant s-o-b for Cano taking them doesn’t apply to that second time, in part, due to Cohen’s ownership.
luclisciano: Yes he was. but thats not the point. Cohen was the owner by the time Cano was [caught doing] the steroids his second time.
OK
@ MLB Top Except that his comments complain about teams wanting him to play for “basically” the minimum, suggesting that he is not willing to do so (yet). I’m not sure what the issue is here… why can’t his agent negotiate a split contract that pays him at least a couple of million if he makes the majors? Or is he insistent on a guaranteed major league deal, and is that why he can’t get more than league min?
His last contract was 2 years/$40M. Consider that a parting gift
It’s a union issue with setting arb numbers. And I’ll add reading a comment might imply things that actually heating them said might not.
Dock_Elvis: Your comment makes absolutely no sense.
I was thinking the same thing. Rizzo is way past the arb years. It’s more Anthony thinking that slow, aging, injured sluggers are worth more than the minimum.
If he pulls down the Financials that’s how numbers are set around the league. You don’t want a bunch of vets playing at minimum if you’re the MLBPA. It’s what hes referring too in his quotes
Normal citizen salary envy aside, Rizzo did nothing the past 2 seasons to warrant more than 2 Mil
Rizzo did nothing the past 2 seasons that even warrants a minor league contract—but someone with a suppurating wound at the position will give him one anyway, even though they’d be better off using his spot on the Depth Chart on an agile corner OFer they just bought a 1Bman’s glove for.
At least they rate to get a win out of the spot.
It’s not just that. Bregman peaked long ago, in 2018-2019. In 2024 he was worth half his seasonal peak. He should be happy if he’s not taking a significant pay cut, never mind getting a ridiculous offer such as 6/171m.
What a freaking tool. Read the room dude. You’re seriously complaining about getting league minimum, which is close to a million bucks, to play a freaking game. A game that you have been ass at for a while now. So much talent and the dudes career was really done by the time he was 30 bc he couldn’t lay off the burgers.
Probably had more to do with a serious head injury than any weight issues, but I get where you’re coming from.
You have a point but sheesh did he run over your bird
Bad take. The guy has been marred by injuries. It’s not game it’s a job. They aren’t going to the local park to play pickup.
Yes. He’s cancer survivor and a player who was well respected by teammates everywhere he’s been. Cut him a little slack, burger boy.
Up until recently he was still complaining about how the Cubs didn’t offer him what he felt to be a fair extension. Cubs turned out to be right in trading him, but I’m not sure Rizzo will ever get over that. Cubs on the other hand are still cycling through 1Bs, and I don’t think Busch is the long term answer either.
Kind of hilarious that the Cubs had offered Rizzo a five-year, $70 million extension through the 2026 season, which he took as an insult. Currently he’s 14 million and 2 years short on that.
Rizzo was kind of whiny on his way out of town and was kinda known to self promote (he’s great with teammates just ask him) but the Cubs did kinda do him dirty. Got value from him then wham bam thank you bye. With their surplus largesse would have been nice if they gave him some sum-sum to reward him and allow him to age gracefully, sorta like the Sox extension w Jose Abreu , a similar fan favorite with declining skills. Wasnt like the Cubs put savings from making astute front office decisions on Schwarbs, Javy or Krissy: still haven’t won a playoff game in ages. But the Cubs don’t play that- more likely to cut bait on former stars. Look how long it took them to make peace with Sammy and never much love for Dusty
Yanks4Life: I understand your point, but I don’t know that he meant it the way it came across. Rizzo seems to be a very level-headed guy who has done a lot for the communities where he has played.
It did come across as incredibly ignorant though. Based on his comment, 35-year-olds (and older) should just be able to keep playing for prior value….just because. The reason his offers are so low is because he IS injured and his performance has suffered (which naturally comes with age). So, to be surprised that his offers are in accordance with an injured, 35-year-old First Baseman seems…. out of touch.
In reality, it’s not the offers that are hurting those players’ salaries if he continues playing; it’s more the fact that he’s continuing to play after he should probably retire that is hurting those salaries for players after him.
This sounds like a comment made by some MLB owner about a player around 1950 or so. And with the way projection works…enjoy that cheeseburger deluxe you’ll be inhaling shortly.
Dear Mr. Rizzo,
Part of the reason you got paid $40 mill in your LAST contract was because you were perceived as reliable. The last two years have shown you to be less so, and teams see no reason to pay you as if you are.
If a million or two dollars isn’t enough to get you off your couch, then kindly make way for someone who still appreciates just how much money that is and WANTS to play.
Because…. he’s spending his Friday night reading the cranks on some message board to read your fanletter, and not nose deep in cookers and blow?
Nah. He already has this years Matt Carpenter and Nelson Cruz in Yuli Gurriel and Jason Heyward. .
Matt carpenter was signed to a two year 13 mil deal, Yuli is on a minor leauge deal and Hayward is making 1 mil
I’m talking about washed up players. Preller has made quota.
He’s got 2/3 years left but will have to be realistic about what the market is for aging first baseman. My guess is he’ll take $5M for one season if he sees a path to playing time.
You sound like his agent.
The market has spoken, and the game of musical chairs is just about over. I don’t see him getting $5 mill from anyone at this point, and I think the sour cream in my fridge has a longer shelf life left than his career.
I got sour cream with a November 2024 expiration date in my fridge. It looks okay, smells like it’s been sitting in the fridge for a while, but not rancid. Should I use it?
I think Brandon Belt would say the same thing. Lefty hitting 1st basemen, coming off of a way better platform season than rizzo, forced out of the game because no one wanted him. It still baffles me at how that transpired. The same could be said for JD Martinez and others.
in a word flexibility
It was Belt who priced himself out of the game, not facing the fact that he was turning 36 despite his good year at 35 (and given his dismal year at 34) and that teams drop their offers when it’s the case that they’re a fair bet to be buying your collapse year, your last year in the majors.
He’d just made 9.3m with the Jays as a platoon 1Bman with a year fueled by a lottery-ticket winning .370 BABIP and was apparently looking for something like 2/25m. If he’d been realistic about where he was and would have taken 1/6-7m, he might still be playing.
cbrookh And there’s the issue: no one is offering either of those things – not the $5 million, and not much path to playing time. Realistic would be a non-guaranteed split contract and an invite to spring training, albeit with a likelihood that he ones the season in the minors. Plus, he also gets the now-standard set of veteran opt-outs that let him leave if he is not on the big league roster on April 1st, 15th, May 1st, 15th, and/or June 1st.
$5m for a replacement level 35 yo 1Bman in steep decline?
What planet are you from, son?
Rizzo seems like a no-brainer for the Cubs. Surprised that the Cubs haven’t offered him a deal
Cubs have JT to back up at 1B and Seiya for DH, Rizzo fits Marlins or Pirates until Horowitz returns.
For Cubs fans, Rizzo is like a high school crush that you will always have a warm memory of, but that does not mean you want to see her/him at the senior citizen bingo parlor.
I don’t think the Marlins are going to take playing time away from Jonah Bride to sign Rizzo. Not sure Rizzo is much of an upgrade.
Bride will DH, Rizzo would be competing with Mervis, at least that is what I thought when I posted this.
Jonah Bride is that Brad Pitts short dumpy assistant who helped moneyball the Swinging As to multiple world titles
Ewww
Cubs have 7 guys who bat lefty on the 40 man – Tucker, Busch, PCA, Happ, – Bench sport are Brujan – Rule5 Workman – AAA prospect Caissie..
The sad thing is he’s already made 6 million for this upcoming season because the Yankees bought out his option year that was 17 million for 2025. So he’s got 6 million, it’s no wonder teams are offering league minimum
Why would you offer a replacement level 1Bman anything in the context of what some other team is paying him?
Such a ridiculous argument. Even if you accept league minimum, that will be in addition to the $6 million you’re already being paid by the Yankees. So, that amounts to $7 million total (give or take). Based on what he’s done the past 2 years, that’s his market value right now.
melfman I agree with you. but the other side of that coin is the players see that $6 million not as payment for this year, but as something they earned before they signed that last contract.
Reworked Minors. Overpaid Players. Shorter shelf life for guys finished with there contracts not pulling weight. This guy is Toast, even if he might still be able to play alittle.
Dude was below-league average hitting left against right and provides no serious defensive value. He provided negative WAR last season. I mean what does he expect? If you’re a negative win player, you’re asking a team to pay you to hurt their chances of winning.
@ BK what he expects is for someone, somewhere to believe that last year was due to injuries, and that he can still provide better than that. What he doesn’t understand is that at his age, injuries keep happening, and comebacks from them are less likely to happen.
Unless you visit a friendly chemist. They’re always ahead of the testers.
Rizzo might need to reasses his current situation. He’s 35 and will be 36 by the end of the season, a 1B/DH only player, and has not been anywhere close to average production since his head injury in 2023. He’s not going to get a couple of million by this point in the year. This may not be how he wants to go out, but there’s really nothing he can do if he’s still suffering from lingering affects from his concussion.
hopefully he knows korean
Rizzo is this years Brandon Belt
Belt hit 19 home runs in only 103 games/403 plate appearances and had an OPS over .850 in his final season. Rizzo has 18 homers in his last two seasons, and had a sub-.650 OPS last year. Very different situation.
Very similar situation…stats aside…both wanted to play but neither wanted to play for less than the number figure in their head…Belt got retired…Rizzo may very well get retired. The end of the offseason is here and now it becomes a buyers’ market and teams just aren’t buying what Rizzo is selling. The are two reasons why something doesn’t move on the market…price and condition…Rizzo’s price is too high and his condition is dubious at best.
It may only be similar in desire to play more. Belt still retired a solid player, Rizzo, not so much.
Setting aside what he once as capable of doing and did achieve, face the reality of you are not going to get what you expect and think is appropriate. Too many other options with better talent, less cost, and less risk.
I can see it now…Rizzo playing 1B for the Padres and is going back on a popup and he gets run over by Tatis (RF)…again and ends up on the DL with a concussion.
50+ other guys would like to keep on playing that are much better than Rizzo. Who cares about Rizzo?
He just sour he never got to cash in like Krissy Baez and got stiffed by Ricketts, unlike say, Jose Abreu who at least did get a token of appreciation for past performance from a grateful owner (and likely a statue and team ambassadorship in the near future). Tale of 2 Chicago franchises and how they treat their former stars.
And somewhere, Reinsdorf smokes a cigar.
Dudes been hurt and has not even been league average. It’s a young man’s game, there are a few vets that can produce in their mid to late 30’s. If a club can get a younger player with options remaining ,the same type of production, it’s a no brainer to go with the young guy. The Vet will command a MLB and lock the team into a roster spot. I like Rizzo, but dudes been hurt and the production hasn’t been there.
I have mixed feelings. It’s very honest and interesting for him to admit he still wants to play purely for the money and he was hoping to squeeze multiple millions in cash from
Any future contract, after agents and taxes and that anything less than that isn’t worth it to him. That would necessitate a likely minimum for him of like $2.5M and probably closer to $5M for any one year deal at this point.
I also get that it’s frustrating to play a position that used to get 4-8 year deals at top dollar well into their late 30’s and teams are avoiding that now.
I also get that Rizzo doesn’t want to be done as a pro athlete at 35 years old and feels he has something significant left in the tank.
I also get his basic premise that he’s up next in a long history of veteran players wanting to maintain and exceed salary levels as a union because they want to keep salaries staying astride of inflation and to keep inching their salaries upwards overall, so that’s why they say they’re pushing for more money for themselves to help out the next guy up… in a way…
But I think Rizzo is done. There’s nowhere in the league to really put him and nobody should be desperate enough to pay him $5M+ for an unlikely comeback at his age after his injuries.
A guy who only wants to keep going for the money?
I wouldn’t want him anywhere near my team. That attitude’s poison.
Here’s the secret about these guys: Whether they genuinely love the game or they make an effort because it’s extremely lucrative and they just happen to be very good at playing and that pays very well– this is all about money.
It’s utterly ridiculous to think these guys don’t care about their contracts and their income levels.
There are guys who will proudly point out they don’t spend any of their salary, that they live off their signing bonus, that they had more money than they’d ever dreamed of/could imagine/could ever possibly spend, etc. with their draft signing bonus- yet they don’t exactly turn down or demand to be paid less than their $5M or $10M or $15M in arbitration and they don’t go looking to be paid league minimum just because they love the game- they go out and find the biggest deal possible, some parameters withstanding- so like, yes, a guy might turn down 5 years/$125M to go with a different team that offered him 4 years/$75MM because he just really prefers the location/the organization, etc. but it’s pretty rare and even then, that guy isn’t going to go to his preferred club and say “I’ll play for you for the league minimum” that just isn’t going to happen.
And the league minimum, to many people, is an incredible amount of money.
But there’s a principle here. Even if money isn’t someone’s main concern or your primary motivation, they tend to understand the economics of their particular industry/company and understand that it would be unfair to them to ask for less than X or it would be very standard and not cause pause or second thoughts to the company/industry for them to ask for a particular amount of money because that’s the going rate…
Think about it like this: Almost everybody in every industry knows the general consensus value of their work and the comparable range for that value.
If you work in an industry where the minimum is like $35k a year but the maximum
Pirates should take a flier in him, low base salary with incentives. His clubhouse presence with McCutchen could be even bigger than his on field play if we are going to be without Horowitz for 8 weeks
The Pirates giving Cutch a contract and playing time was a mission of mercy for a hometown icon who actually did support his being on the team but now in the name of clubhouse mentorship you want the Pirates to sign another albeit good guy, but one who’s decline was very evident last 2 seasons but now would prevent a young player his chamce?
This situation perfectly exemplifies the entitlement mentality of some veteran MLB players.
He’s been hurt/bad for most of last two years. He’s already banked $6 million this year, but is complaining he’s been asked to play for league minimum by teams who have talked to him this winter.
Hey Rizzo, league minimum is something like $800,000. You’re already guaranteed more than $5 million more than that. Speaking of $5 million, that’s what Cutch is making this year, and he was way better than you last year, not to mention most every year you two have been in the league.
Spoiler alert – Nobody is paying you in 2025 for the player you were in 2015.
What a spoiled brat take Mr. Rizzo!
The thing is he is not getting paid for this year. Not technically or in reality, and not in principle/theory. For starters, despite how it is reported, that buyout had to be paid last year at the point that the team made the decision. I believe that is also how the league counts it for CBT purposes – against 2024, not 2025. Thats the technical side of it.
More to the point, the players view that as money/consideration they’d already earned before the contract was signed. It is money they are going to get regardless of how they perform or whether the option gets picked up. When outlets like MLBTR report the signing of a new contract, they count it as “guaranteed money” – because it is.
So while it is called a buyout, the term is largely semantic.
Its a matter of perspective. He could choose to view it as a payment for this year, if that would allow his pride to accept a contract and continue playing. Or he could choose to view it that earned a bonus last year because of how bad he was.
Yes. Its a matter of perspective. And no one relevant to the equation has that perspective. Not the player, and the owners, and not MLB. Not even the press. Only some fans. And while that fan perspective is understandable, its just not part of this equation.
The $6 million was built into that last contract and [at least that much] was going to be paid regardless. It is what Steve Cohen refers to as “sunken costs”.
@geofft
I certainly understand your take. I don’t buy it. In this case he and Yankees agreed a couple years ago he would make $17 mm this year if he lived up to expectations, or earn $6 mm to play for someone else if he didn’t.
Given the fact he’s unsigned, it appears the Owners/GM’s agree with me.
@Scott K…Not accurate. We can agree to disagree. but let’s separate fact from perception.
He and the Yankees agreed to a $17M club option, with a $6M buyout if the club did not pick up that option. What he did after that – retire, play for someone else, etc – isn’t covered in the agreement. The deal ends when the buyout is paid.
Calling it $6mm to play for someone else is your wording and perception. It is not the wording or terms of the deal. And, while that often is what winds up happening, it is still your description.
His being unsigned doesn’t prove either side of this discussion. That, again, is your inference about what is happening. He’s provided close to nothing these past two years. The owners might just think he’s not worth what he’s asking. He’s being treated in much the same way as most older players who’ve stopped producing, regardless of whether or not they had buyouts.
Not to pile on. But case in point: Mark Canha just signed a minor league deal. He played in 120 games last year, started 106 and posted a 0.6 to 1.0 WAR (depending on which WAR you go by), and a 99 OPS+. His contract had expired and he had no buyout. But he still gets only a minor league deal.
@geofft
I find it rich how you suggest a mid 30’s formerly successful player would voluntarily retire rather than take a prove it deal for a chance to get one last significant payday.
Would you willingly give up doing the one thing you are best at, along with the 7 figureish payday that comes with it?
Do you even believe the crap your flinging at us?
@ Scott What the bleep are you going on about?!! I did not say that at all, and thats not even what we were talking about in this thread.
Rizzo is making the same amount this season as Justin Turner, without even playing a game. Unfortunately, guys with injury histories, even veterans, have to take “prove it” deals sometimes to reestablish their value. And, yes, value diminishes significantly once you reach a certain age. Don’t take it personally. Rizzo is also going to be a dad soon, so I’m sure he’d take the extra time to experience fatherhood for the first time.
Except he is not. He got paid that money last year when the club actually decided to buy him out. It was part of his last contract. And it counted towards last year’s CBT threshold calculations.
He’s a negative WAR player at this point. Not only has his power vanished, he’s slowed mentally in the field and his defense is shot.
It’s time for him to retire.
Rizzo sounds like a doddering boxer who has no idea he needs to go home.
He got paid after the season was over. It doesn’t matter if it counted toward last year’s season/contract. The Yankees bought out the rest of his contract and paid him to not play.
Rizzo needs to use whatever Brandon Crawford used in 2021 to hit .298.
A baseball bat?
Welcome to MLB 2025, Mr. Rizzo. Guys in their mid-30’s who can only play first base, are oft-inured, and cannot come close to an OPS+ of 100 don’t get guaranteed jobs. They get non-roster invites to Spring Training, if anything.
I have a feeling he ends up back in NY at some point this season. Big fan of his. Injury prone at this stage but a fantastic 1B and much better hitter then his stat line will show.
According to Baseball Reference, Rizzo has made around 128 million over his career. With the exception of 2022, he has been paid for past, rather than future performance the last several years. Guy’s attitude is unreal. And I had always wished my team would get him. Part of what is wrong with baseball in my view.
Why doesn’t Rizzo realize he has to take a minor league deal at this point if he wants to keep playing? Sign with a team, get into camp, get fit. If he shows something in camp, he probably could get a 1 year major league deal for a few million. But obviously he needs to demonstrate that he can still play.
That’s the thing. He’s not dead-set on continuing his career. He’s made plenty of money, and is completely fine retiring. He’s just making it known that he will play another year if the price is right for him to sacrifice one more year of retirement
Even older guys, in the twilight of their careers, have to prove to teams that they still have the chops. That usually comes in the form of a minor league deal and an invite. Perform in the spring, and get added to the MLB roster. If not and you’re cut (which is where he is right now). Do you want to play or not?
He’s a legend! His 5th inning WS performance will be immortalized for all time!
Altruistic greed. You love/hate to see it?
Rizzo has had a nice career and some very solid moments.
As a previous commenter suggested, he already has 6M in the bag from his buyout. I’m sure Rizzo and his agent have already bypassed offers that sat around 1MM guaranteed with incentives written in that would elevate to another 2.5 to 4MM.
Without question Minnesota was one of those teams to do so, as they’ve brought in a younger (albeit also previously injured & less accomplished) Ty France for the aforementioned 1MM which Rizzo is alluding to.
I’m not going to fault anyone for their injury history or their thought process to deciding which employer to sign with; but if he was that sincere about playing the game to play the game, he could’ve already signed a prove it deal with about 4-6 teams with a pathway to semi regular, if not regular reps at 1B/DH or some kind of combination platoon situation. He’d already be in camp getting acclimated to a new situation.
I said that too until no one called.
He might have some baseball left in him, but if he feels strongly that he deserves a contract some significant multiple of MLB minimum…well, good luck to him. Contrast this with Profar, who played for $1M in 2024, proved himself on the field, and earned a big contract. Wrong way to go about pleading his case to the public–not that it means much. Maybe also wrong way to plead his case with front offices might otherwise be mildly interested, Is this guy a prima donna?
Show of hands… how many would be insulted by being paid only $760k a year with free food about 200 days a year, free gym membership, free medical care, licensing payments, and I’m sure another dozen perks thrown in?
How dare you!
The 6 Million he was paid at his release was given him before 1 January so it’s last years money. He’ll pay taxes this year on that. Right, now he’s unemployed making nothing and hoping to catch on somewhere at his price.
Every year some players are forced into retirement. This may be his year.
Sacramento summers….sounds like a big spending Fisher kinda guy. Maybe Fisher and Nutting can co-sign and split custody
I sense an arm wrestling match is winding up…
I wonder exactly how involved the mlbpa is when these older players kinda disappear after not even horrible seasons. Belt has been mentioned a few times, Kyle seager is an interesting case too. But I wonder if rizzo is actually willing to play for the minimum, I mean why not, he’s got his buyout money, but the PA is so concerned with the precedent it would set, and now instead of the mccutchens and phams getting 5 mil they’ll be getting minimum deals.
I don’t see that as the case at all. Rizzo’s made 130+ million dollars in his career, there is no reason for him to continue his career another year for 700k minimum deal. He’s happy calling it quits and getting to spend time with his family, but he’s willing to play another year if a team wants him for an amount that’s enough to sacrifice a year with his family for. An example very similar to this last year is Brandon Belt. He was coming off a far better season than Rizzo is, but didn’t sign anywhere and is presumably done. He was the same age at the time as Rizzo is now and had made a very similar amount of money in his career (only 10-15 mil less). He and Rizzo basically have a price that it will take to keep them out of retirement, which was higher than teams were willing to pay. These guys aren’t dying to keep playing, if they were they would be signing cheap and minor league deals. Guys like McCutchen clearly want to keep playing, and has been better than Rizzo. Pham has made significantly less money than anyone of these other guys, so he doesn’t really fit into this conversation.
He started declining after the 2019 season. He had a weird power year in 2022 for the yanks, hitting over 30 homeruns, but he’s only hit .228 with a .334 OBP. Playable numbers for sure, but those power numbers plummeted the last two years. He’s hit under 100 OPS+ for each the last two years, plays an offense first position, has trouble staying on the field, and will be 36 in August. He’s not being lowballed as a veteran. His value to baseball team is a low cost dart throw. He just hasn’t come to grips with it yet.
I guess Rizzo touched a nerve but, whoa, a lot of commenters here are pretty harsh about it.
Rizzo will sign with the Angels.
$2m deal seems reasonable.
Funny story, a couple years back I rejected an offer in my line of work that was lower than I usually get for what I perceived the same amount of work. For the the longest time I’ve railed against ANYONE taking lower offers in my line of work because we should value ourselves more. I also perceived taking lower would hurt others in the long run.
However, not everyone can pay the same and you really should make concessions sometimes.
To my chagrin, the next couple of years there’s been less work overall for me. I’m getting older, and there’s fresh lions out there.
Recently I got an offer for that same lower amount, from the same folks, and I took it. I didn’t feel like I lowered myself this time, but read both the market and room. I felt like this was a great opportunity working with folks I really wanted to work with.
So I get where Rizzo is coming from both from a pride and valor standpoint. He isn’t wrong inherently, but he needs to learn humility and learn to read the room like I did.
Building yourself back up isn’t going to happen on the sidelines. Take a lower gig and show them you’re worth more rather than letting time age you out completely. There’s going to be opportunity this spring, heck I’d argue right now, but he’s gotta suck it up even a little.
I like Rizzo, and hope he lands a gig. He deserves to play, but he’s gotta want to. Good luck, man.
It’s possible he’s trying to get to $4 million for 2025. That would match the 4 year, $60 million the Cubs supposedly offered him in 2021 (they also offered 5/70) when accounting for the $56 million the Yanks have already paid him.
The Cubs extended him before he played a full season guaranteeing $41 million and he earned over $70 million with the options. He could have made a lot more through arbitration and going to free agency before 2019 though.
Yeah, his comments read like the desire is gone but he’ll suit up for the right amount. Obviously, he doesn’t hafta work anymore and will enjoy retirement if he doesn’t get the right offer….
He should sign with anyone period and hope he gets picked up at the deadline for his veteran leadership. End of story.
I’m sure he could secure a minor league contract with a team with incentives, but pride and ego are standing in the way
Not pride or ego, just no reason to do that from his perspective. He’s already made enough money for him and his family for generations, he has no incentive to keep playing for basically nothing when he can happily retire and spend time with his family
Bring Him back to the north side!
It is pretty darn sad that there is so much hate here about a guy long regarded as one of the best players and teammates in the mlb . Sign of the times I guess.
The fact of what he earned in the past are irrelevant, he earned it. While I certainly don’t think he will be homeless or anything if he doesn’t continue his mlb career but that is not the point.
I hope you all get just as much love when you have an injury and your career is negatively affected.
It’s ‘pretty darn sad’ that reasoned criticism about specifics is malconstrued as ‘hate’ when you have nothing of note to say.
lol, reasoned criticism.
So, after we get through all the ‘thoughts and prayers’ and ‘thank you for all you’ve done’ we can get down to establishing market value?
How about a minor league deal with an invitation to ST and a guaranteed $1.5MM if you make the roster with some escalations for appearances that can take it to $3MM?
And this is the prime reason we have the universal DH except you will a,ways have FO and ownership groups suppressing the market.
Platoon role for 10M
You want to pay him $10M for half a job?
Do you know how inflated the market is right now? Frankie Montas got 17M. 10M is nothing that’s what most replacement level players get their 4th or 5th year of arbitration now. I agree he’s only worth at most 5 but any agent who’s worth his license can get Rizzo 8 mil with incentives to make up to 10 if he meets them. Also he’s a left handed bat and most pitchers are right handed. It’s not half a job more like 75% of a job.
Wrain, Montas’ contract doesn’t have any place in or bearing on this discussion. The market clearly values pitching differently than hitting. Plus the Montas deal is being pointed to as an example of a bad, not typical deal. your remarks about replacement level players and arbitration are equally if not more uninformed and inaccurate. Player don’t have five yeas of arbitration. The vast majority have three, and only super-two’s – about 22% of all players – get a fourth year. A relatively few players ever exceed $10 million, and the ones who do are rather productive. Tyrone Taylor posted a 0.5 WAR in 2023 for which he got just over $2 million in arb. His 2.0 WAR last year earned him a raise to 3.025 million.
Yes pretend you don’t know what I meant by the 4th or 5th year before FA eligibility. Do you know how much money Arraez is making despite the fact that per war he’s barely above replacement level. Ha it looks like the informed one is you.
Ridiculous example. Arraez’ case is not typical. You’re taking an outlier and holding it up as the standard. You’re also ignoring the entirety of the situation and only looking at last year.
He’s not being paid solely on what he did last year. He made $10.6 million in 2024 after producing 4+ WARS in each of the two previous two seasons. He is still seen as the player who did that. Players in arbitration get raises.
More like Rizzo is washed but hopes to continue getting paid big bucks sitting on the bench or on the IL. Good luck with that….
I may be misunderstanding him
But it sounds like he expects big bucks
For having two bad years in a row
It sounds like a jerk to me
But I could be misunderstanding him
League minimum with incentives is all he should get
Rizzo’s got other priorities. He’s not the vet who’ll sign a minors deal cuz he doesn’t wanna stop playing….
I never said a minors deal
That’s what a league minimum deal is 99% of the time.
You are assuming
If Jason Heyward can find a team then Anthony Rizzo can find one too. This doesn’t matter but it’s just a little fun fact. Rizzo is exactly a day older than Heyward
Heyward can still play the outfield, even center in a pinch.
There’s that small difference that Heyward is still an average bat with above average defense. Rizzo offers exactly nothing at this point.
Heyward’s bat is well below average.
Greed and ego.
More like when you get old, the childhood dream turns into just a regular job. It is what it is….
The Yankees afforded him the opportunity to continue his career, but he’s been done for awhile now. He’s probably played his last game. His spare tire didn’t do him any favors.
A bad concussion has ended careers in sports. His obviously was a bad one.
The effects of Rizzo’s is reflected in the market. But for, he quite likely is employed since he was still a dangerous at-bat until then.
He’s delusional thinking any more than a look-see invite will happen. By now even that may only be available in Iowa or some such.
So, he’s reduced to waiting for injuries. At least he didn’t come right out and say that.
Cubs dodged huge bullets in the 2021/2022 timeframe as can you imagine if they extended Bryant, Baez & Rizzo with long term contracts at that time vs trading them or letting them walk? Sometimes being sound minded and frugal is not a bad thing
Rizzo got his 6 million buyout/severance pay or whatever you want to call but it still beats sitting on the couch if you think you still have “It”
I mentioned Brandon Belt, who was coming off a very decent year, and he basically priced himself out of the league when he could have played at a reduced amount for one more season in the sun…Donovan Solano and David Peralta took minor league deals and both had very good years for the Padres and Solano is signed for this year and Peralta should be soon.
The 6 million is a nice cushion to take into retirement but Eric Hosmer has you beat…he is going to collect 12.5 million this year to go on top of the same last year and if he could have had a team sign him to a Veteran Minimum he would have jumped at the chance because he WANTED to play baseball but baseball didn’t want him.
Take a deal and have one last go at the show like Jake Taylor because he loved the game or you can be Roger Dorn and screw the game…it’s all about the contract and we all remember what Lou Brown thought of his contract
Hang it up Rizzo. You’re old, washed up and garbage these days. Go be a husband and a father.
Sign me up for league minimum. I will go play a game and be a top wage earner in the in the USA. This is exactly why I will not grease the MLB wheel anymore. Quit years ago. All pro players in all sports are making too much money.
Injuries and poor production coupled with the fact the entire league knows you have the $6 million in Yankee buyout money is why you are getting low balled, has nothing to do with screwing the “next guy”
If i were Rizzo i would take a one year incentive based deal in a place like Miami where i can just go play. Either you perform and get flipped to a contender at the deadline or you don’t and you get cut mid-season. Either way it’s better than waiting for a big money contract that’s not coming
I hear the Long Island Ducks need 1B help
Rizzo has been for two straight years and he plays a position where there isn’t much demand. He’s lucky that any team would offer him a major league contract at this point
His lifetime earnings to date are $127.6M. Maybe he should just go gently into the night and spend some time with his family and friends. I always liked him as a player but enough is enough, buddy.
Poor Guy only made 135 million by age 35
I wonder if the Marlins have reached out. Hometown guy. A vet on a very young team. Play some 1B or DH. Probably as good as. anything they have and can help mentor the younger players. Help a rookie manager. Marlins can afford a couple million.
With guys like “Rowdy” Tellez (but I suppose Tellez isn’t guaranteed anything and is essentially taking the deal Rizzo is claiming he won’t take…. therefore it’s “squeezing” him out) getting at bats in spring you’d think Rizzo would find his way to a camp in AZ perhaps on a minors/opt out heavy deal to see if he can’t put together a few decent weeks and get a major league deal.. or not.. either way just “opt out” of whatever “little” deal…. The thought this “guy” thinks that because of “past production” he should be guaranteed anything beyond minimum is ludicrous/laughable…. Mr. Rizzo you’ve already been compensated, seemingly rather generously.. so take whatever chance to “prove” yourself or don’t..but don’t say it’s the $$ that’s squeezing u out..lol it’s your fat ol butt (that’s apparently enjoying the “spoils” of a highly compensated career) squeezing u out!
Does the guy “forget” he’s been paid or getting paid the several million dollars worth of “buyout” built into his deal for this seemingly exact scenario, in case of drop off in production/injuries or maybe the team wants to allocate funds previously “set aside” for his salary to another part of the team, only they know (maybe rizzo “knows,” but perhaps his denial “knows no bounds”) either way that’s why there’s a buyout…. HES GETTING $$ for either past production.. or getting money for “thanks for your participation but you’re services are no longer needed”.. either way what’s the difference, and whether it’s “injuries” or just pure inability to produce (and if it’s caused by injuries, again what’s he difference if he’s healed/not healed but still sucks) it’s why the buyout money is there, he still gets something, so what’s he feeling he’s “owed” to be GIVEN an OPPORTUNITY to play a child’s game for $$..if he cares about the “next guy” so much get involved with making sure young players/minor leaguers/guys that are actually producing get paid…. (And maybe he is involved in all kinds of great “off field” whatever) but my goodness, do these guys literally “not think” or ever hear the jibberish coming outta their pie-holes….Kyrie Eleison!!!!!
Wait he hit his head in May and wasn’t put in concussion protocol until August??
If he really wants to play he should be able to get a heavily incentivized contract somewhere to play. 1million with 5 in incentives should help him sign somewhere