Former World Series Champ Slams Low Interest in New York Yankees Free Agents
Five months after helping the New York Yankees reach their first World Series since 2009, Anthony Rizzo and Alex Verdugo are still unemployed.
There’s been minimal interest in the two veterans, neither of whom has received a Major League offer for the 2025 season. Even the injury-riddled Yankees don’t want them back.
With Opening Day just days away, time is running out for them to find new homes.
Former World Series champion Eric Hosmer is alarmed by the lack of interest in the two free agents. The four-time Gold Glove winner, who retired before the 2024 season after a 13-year MLB career, shared his concerns about the situation on X.
Hosmer shouldn’t be too surprised, however. As a former All-Star first baseman like Rizzo and a former teammate of Verdugo (they both played for the 2022 Boston Red Sox), he should understand why teams haven’t come calling.
First basemen need to hit, and Rizzo hasn’t done that lately. His OPS has declined in each of the last two seasons, and he batted just .228/.301/.335 (81 OPS+) with eight home runs and 35 RBI in 2024.
His eroding power is especially concerning, as he managed just one home run in his final 53 regular-season games last year and had only one extra-base hit in the postseason.
Not surprisingly, New York declined his $17 million option for 2025, giving him a $6 million buyout instead.
Rizzo is 35 and has been plagued by injuries the last few years, so his career appears to be in decline. He’s also refusing to play for the league minimum salary, potentially pricing him out of some markets.
Outfielders also need to hit, and Verdugo hasn’t done that, either. His batting average has dropped in four straight seasons, and he slashed just .233/.291/.356 with 13 homers and 61 RBI in 149 games last year.
He struggled in the playoffs as well, hitting .208/.309/.313 in 14 games.
Throw in Verdugo’s history of personal problems and previous clashes with managers, and it makes sense why teams aren’t clamoring for his services.
Rizzo was worth just 0.2 WAR last year, while Verdugo contributed 0.8. Both are essentially replacement-level players unlikely to move the needle.
Verdugo’s only 28, so he could still get a job somewhere as a depth option, especially once the season begins and injuries start piling up Given Rizzo’s age and diminishing skills, however, it’s probably time for him to call it a career.
