The Yankees' veteran infielder hints at a possible final game with the team

The New York Yankees first traded first baseman Anthony Rizzo ahead of the 2021 trade deadline. He then signed a two-year contract ahead of the 2023 campaign that also included a $17 million option with a $6 million buyout for 2025.

The Yankees have the option, so it's unlikely they decide to bring Rizzo back at a $17 million salary. Depending on the conditions, he could be brought back, but that's definitely not set in stone and he knows it.

With the Yankees' backs against the wall in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers (they're 0-3 and the next loss will eliminate them), Rizzo talked about the feeling of playing what could be his final game with the team.

“Anthony Rizzo said he realizes this could well be his last game with the Yankees.” “I'm a realist. I'm not naive about this. I think this will all go away when the time is right,” Yanks insider Bryan Hoch auf X wrote, using the first baseman’s words.

Rizzo knows this could be the last time he wears a Yankees uniform

Rizzo hasn't been the same since his concussion in late May 2023. In 2024, he posted a disappointing .636 OPS with just eight home runs in 337 at-bats.

Even though he performed solidly in the playoffs with a .926 OPS, the Yankees know he's already on the decline and are probably not sold on the idea of ​​keeping him for 2025, at least not under a salary of 17 million dollars.

Rizzo was a solid Yankee from the moment he landed on the team, and it would be sad to see him go if that were the case. However, the offseason is long and complex, so he knows he has to wait and see before finding out where he will play next year.