Yankees: 4 offseason decisions that show Brian Cashman knows what he’s doing
By Tim Boyle
3. The Yankees reunited with Anthony Rizzo and should be glad they did
Anthony Rizzo was not the best first baseman available in free agency or trade this offseason. Freddie Freeman, a man discussed as a possibility for the Yankees, ended up with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Atlanta Braves replaced him with Matt Olson—a trade candidate from the Oakland Athletics who could have surely ended up in Pinstripes.
Instead, the Yankees reunited with Rizzo. They should be glad they did. He is pushing for an early home run crown with 9 dingers in his first 103 plate appearances. At this pace, he should easily erase Roger Maris from the record books!
Rizzo won’t challenge for 61 long balls but maybe the Yankees can get a special season out of him in the latter part of his career. Rizzo topped 30 home runs each year from 2014-17. The short porch in right field and a few hitter-friendly ballparks in the American League East he’ll visit regularly this season should help him.
Beyond the home runs, Rizzo is supplying New York with an early .369 OBP. His defense may not be where it was during his Gold Glove days with the Chicago Cubs. He makes up for it with something that won’t show up in any box score: leadership.
The Yankees have been rather disappointing for the last decade. Frequently good, they haven’t gotten back to the World Series since 2009. With Rizzo on the roster for a full season, maybe his presence in front of the camera and behind it makes a difference.