All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo won’t be one-and-done with the New York Yankees after all. According to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, Rizzo agreed to return to the Yankees on a two-year, $32 million deal.
Rizzo joined the Yankees in a trade from the Chicago Cubs last season and went on to play 49 games for the franchise in 2021. He batted .249 with eight home runs and 21 RBIs.
Rizzo’s new deal, which will become official after he undergoes physical, reportedly contains an opt-out clause after the 2022 season. This will allow the 32-year-old player to hit the market sooner and get a better contract in case he puts together a productive season.
Anthony Rizzo was once the focal point of the Chicago Cubs team that made three straight NL Championship series between 2015 and 2017 and won the World Series in 2016. During that period, Rizzo was considered one of the best players at his position in the league and earned multiple All-Star nods and Golden Glove Awards.
However, Rizzo’s production took a significant dip in recent years, prompting the Cubs to part ways with their franchise cornerstone. The Yankees were happy to pick him up, especially considering they were short on left hitters. They should be even happier to lock him for couple more years on what could be a bargain deal. He should be a valuable contributor to the team in the future, even if he’s in the decline stage of his career.
