Anthony Rizzo's fate with Yankees after injury, trade deadline remains very unclear

Three years ago, the New York Yankees traded for Anthony Rizzo in a deadline shocker that many believed would propel a stuck-in-the-mud 2021 roster. Though Rizzo did help, he largely offered more of what the Bombers already had: power, veteran presence, swings and misses, and a lack of athleticism.

Three years later, it's kind of crazy that the Yankees will have paid $60-plus million for him once this season concludes. Meanwhile, during that same span, they passed on some of the league's best free agents while throwing big, short-term money to Rizzo and Josh Donaldson.

Corey Seager cost $325 million over 10 years, but it was cool to pay Rizzo and Donaldson $115 million for a total of 513 games of below-average play? So far, Seager has made $97.5 million for 363 games of MVP-caliber play (and went on a World Series run last year). We're just doing math.

But back to Rizzo. The veteran first baseman suffered a fractured forearm back in the team's June series at Fenway against the Red Sox. The expectation was that he'd miss about two months, which still seems to be the timetable. In the meantime, Ben Rice has filled in admirably for his first taste of big-league action.

Rice has slumped a bit, though, and even before he got called up, nobody viewed him as a realistic everyday starter for a 2024 team with World Series aspirations. But there's a need for that because ... Rizzo also isn't an everyday starter for a World Series team at this point in his career after the last couple of injuries he's suffered.

So what's Rizzo's status with the Yankees as the trade deadline approaches? Are the Yankees going to upgrade at first base (or elsewhere) and figure out a way to make him a platoon option? Are they going to trade him and absorb the cash? There's no way they DFA him once he returns, right?

Will Anthony Rizzo factor into Yankees' plans past trade deadline?

For about 225 games, Rizzo was good for the Yankees. But for his next 130, he's been unplayable. Baseball can sometimes be a "what have you done for me lately" sport, but in this case Rizzo's problem is the head injury he suffered last May. He's never been the same. Combined with his forearm injury, the Yankees have run out of time to see if he can rebound to a 120 OPS+ hitter. Rizzo will be on track to return in mid-to-late August, which means he'll be back up to game speed toward the end of the regular season/start of the playoffs.

Is that something the Yankees can afford to risk? Can they even afford to risk going with a Rice/Rizzo/LeMahieu platoon at first base? Would they even consider that?

In a perfect world, Rizzo returns to the dugout, but doesn't play and just keeps the vibes going while advising his teammates; Rice either heats up and takes the job, or is optioned in favor of a deadline acquisition; and LeMahieu becomes the last guy on the bench who can offer solid defensive versatility and an experienced bat.

Once the offseason arrives, the Yankees are likely going to decline Rizzo's 2025 team option, pay his $6 million buyout, and be on their way. So then what's the point in forcing him back into the situation this late in an all-important season that will go a long way in convincing Juan Soto to stay in New York?

Baseball is a harsh business, and Rizzo has unfortunately found himself on the unfavorable end of it. We suspect, however, that the Yankees will probably just remain complacent, welcome Rizzo back to his starting job, suffer the consequences, and then shrug their shoulders in the offseason.