Anthony Rizzo remains a free agent well into MLB spring training, along with a number of veterans who prefer not to take below market value for their services. The bad news for Rizzo is the longer he waits, the lower his eventual contract number will be.
Rizzo recently spoke to Ken Rosenthal and Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, in which the 35-year-old outlined his desire to play this season. Rizzo also said he didn't want to set a bad precedent for the free agents who come after him by taking a below market value deal.
"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. You’ve seen it happen more and more. I’m not naive to it. It could be it," Rizzo said.
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Anthony Rizzo reunion with the Cubs is increasingly unlikely
Rizzo is not wrong that teams have been relatively cheap this winter. Outside of a few contenders like the Dodgers, Yankees and Mets, MLB teams have been unwilling to pony up for veteran talent unless they really move the needle. Rizzo, at this point in his career, wouldn't provide much more than a locker room presence and some decent play at first base. That's not nothing, but a few million dollars goes a long way in the current MLB economy.
Unfortunately for Rizzo, he was hampered by injuries much of last season thanks to a concussion suffered in a collision at first base. Rizzo's hand was also injured for much of the Yankees playoff run, which he detailed to Rosenthal and Kuty.
“I’d be flushing it in the hyperbaric chamber, doing every treatment possible just to get that swelling out to be able to inject it again,” Rizzo said. “It was crazy. Obviously, during the regular season, you’re not doing anything like that. But you do anything, World Series or playoff time, to play. It was worth it.”
While some of Rizzo's Yankees teammates have remained open to a possible return, that seems unlikely given Brian Cashman signed Paul Goldschmidt this winter. Some Cubs fans have hoped for a Wrigleyville reunion, as well, but such a move is also a longshot. The Cubs have Michael Busch playing first base, and unless Rizzo is willing to sign at a discount – and he just said he is not – Jed Hoyer won't make that phone call.
Rizzo was a tremendous player in his prime, but has suffered multiple injuries the last few seasons and is in obvious decline. A one-year prove it deal makes sense with the right contender, but Chicago won't budge.