TAMPA – After missing Matt Olson and appearing on a long shot with Freddie Freeman, the Yankees on Tuesday night agreed to a deal to bring Anthony Rizzo back to play the first physically pending base, a source confirmed.
The deal, first reported by ESPN, is for two years and $ 32 million, giving the Yankees a left-handed second bat and putting Luke Voight firmly on the trading block.
And while the Yankees front office didn’t do much before the December 2 MLB lockout, it continued to function.
Earlier in the week, the Yankees closed trade with the Twins to buy third baseman Josh Donaldson, shortstop Isiah Kinner-Falefa and catcher Ben Rortwade and send Gary Sanchez and Jio Ursella to Minnesota.
With the first Rizzo, the Yankees include second-ranked Gleber Torres, third-ranked Donaldson and Kinner-Falefa, leaving DJ Lemahiu in a useful role.
Rizzo, 32, arrived at the Yankees before the trade deadline last year and went on a red-hot start before landing at Covid IL.
He played without vaccinations last year, and even if he did, Rizola could have problems playing games in the Bronx, as current New York City vaccination rules prohibit unvaccinated players from going to work. It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post.
Rizzo earned .768 OPS in 200 plates with the Yankees last season.
The Yankees are hoping that healthy Rizo will return to his form with the Cubs from 2014-19, when he was the best power hitter in the game.
And it’s an offseason in which the Yankees have avoided long-term deals despite having Premier Free agents like Freeman and shortstop Carlos Correa available so far.
General Manager Brian Cashman has three more weeks to finalize the roster before opening day, and the lineup will look significantly different than a week ago.
