Anthony Rizzo's $17M Contract Option Declined by Yankees for 2025 MLB Season

After four seasons with the New York Yankees, Anthony Rizzo is a free agent.

The Yankees announced on Saturday they declined their $17 million team option on the veteran first baseman for the 2025 season.

The Yankees originally acquired Rizzo in July 2021 in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. He had a strong start to his tenure in the Bronx, including a .224/.338/.480 slash line and 32 homers during the 2022 season.

Rizzo signed a two-year deal worth a guaranteed $40 million with the Yankees in November 2022 that included a $17 million team option for 2025 or a $6 million buyout. He will get the $6 million by having his option declined.

Things didn't go great for Rizzo in New York after receiving that contract. He hit just .237/.315/.358 with 20 homers in 191 games combined over the past two seasons. The three-time All-Star only appeared in 99 games during the 2024 campaign due to a broken arm and fractured fingers.

The finger injury kept Rizzo off the Yankees' ALDS roster against the Kansas City Royals, but he returned for the ALCS and World Series.

At this point in his career, Rizzo shouldn't be counted on as an everyday player. His performance hasn't been particularly good at a position where the bar for offense is high. He has also had issues staying on the field recently.

Rizzo can still be useful as a veteran presence who has a good eye at the plate. His best offensive traits last season were his 80th percentile whiff rate (19.3 percent) and 74th percentile strikeout rate (17.3 percent).