Anthony Rizzo DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Back in February, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Brendan Kuty reported that free-agent first baseman Anthony Rizzo is healthy and wants to continue playing in 2025. However, even at just 35 years old, Rizzo knows the end of his career might be approaching. The 14-year veteran became a free agent when the Yankees declined his $17 million option, instead giving him a $6 million buyout. After two injury-marred seasons the last two years, Rizzo understands why his market hasn't been robust, and he remains available after the start of the regular season. He dealt with concussion issues, two fractured fingers in his hand and a fractured forearm the last two years. While Rizzo is healthy now and would love to continue his major-league career, he also said he's not going to ruin the market for veterans that come after him and settle for a minimum contract.

The New York Yankees are declining their 2025 club option on first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo had one of the worst seasons of his career this summer as he posted an underwhelming .228/.301/.335 line with eight home runs, 35 RBI, with a 27:65 BB:K ratio. Under the hood, Rizzo saw his metrics dropped to career lows with a 33.2% hard-hit rate and a mere .239 xBA. In addition, since hitting 32 home runs in 2022, Rizzo has hit just 20 long balls over the past two summers with a season-low of eight in 2024. Fantasy managers should expect the former World Series Champion to find a new home in 2025, but he is best left for deeper formats, given his sharp decline.

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (fingers) said the days off this week before the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers have been valuable in helping his broken fingers heal. "The biggest thing is getting the swelling out between games. It really blows up from the pressure. The bones are still broken, but to be able to get the swelling out has been key," Rizzo said. The 35-year-old left-handed slugger fractured two fingers on his right hand in the second-to-last game of the regular season and was held out of the American League Division Series before going 6-for-14 with a double, two walks and a run scored in five games (four starts) in the AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians. He should be good to go to start in Game 1 of the World Series against the Dodgers, and the Yankees will need Rizzo's bat to keep up with LA's high-powered offense in the series.

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo and catcher Austin Wells are both back in the starting lineup for Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Friday at Progressive Field against Cleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams. Rizzo and Wells, both lefty hitters, took a seat in the Game 3 loss with a left-hander on the mound. Rizzo fractured two fingers at the end of the regular season and didn't play in the AL Division Series. He's gone 3-for-7 with a double, two walks and a run scored in three games in the ALCS. Wells has just two hits in 28 trips to the plate this postseason with two RBI, two walks and 12 K's. Rizzo has never faced Williams in his career, while Wells has a single and a strikeout in two at-bats. Rizzo is batting sixth on Friday, with Wells in the eight-hole as the Yankees look to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo is not in the starting lineup for Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday at Progressive Field against the Cleveland Guardians with left-hander Matthew Boyd on the mound. Jon Berti will get the nod at first base and will bat sixth in the order. Rizzo fractured two fingers on his hand in the second-to-last game of the regular season and sat out of the AL Division Series against the Kansas City Royals. In the first two games of the ALCS, he went 3-for-7 with a double, a walk and a run scored. Berti will be appearing in the ALCS for the first time after going 2-for-7 with a walk and a strikeout in the ALDS. He has never faced Boyd in his career and went 7-for-27 (.259) with no homers or RBI in 30 plate appearances against southpaws in limited action during the regular season.