Yankees’ Infield Is Complete, but Comes With Questions

By bringing again first baseman Anthony Rizzo on a two-year contract, the Yankees’ 2022 infield is now full. However some huge questions loom for a group that’s not on the high of baseball’s spending perch.

Rizzo’s deal, which is pending a bodily, can pay him $32 million over two years and has an opt-out clause after the primary season. It was first reported by Jordan Brown on Twitter on Tuesday night time and was confirmed on Wednesday by an individual accustomed to the negotiations who was not licensed to debate it publicly as a result of the contract had not been finalized.

With Rizzo, the Yankees can have a three-time All-Star at first base, a two-time All-Star at second base (Gleyber Torres), a one-time American League most respected participant at third base (Josh Donaldson) and a Gold Glove winner at shortstop (Isiah Kiner-Falefa). Rizzo’s wage will push the group’s payroll to $241 million, in accordance with the contract monitoring web site Spotrac, a determine that trails the Mets ($249 million) and is more likely to path the Los Angeles Dodgers ($231 million) as soon as the mud of the low season settles.

Included in that determine is $5.25 million owed to Luke Voit, a power-hitting right-handed bat whom Supervisor Aaron Boone had known as this season’s first baseman however will now presumably search at-bats as a backup first baseman and designated hitter.

“I do know they wish to be left-handed. I get it,” Voit stated at Yankees camp on Tuesday. “They’ve been intent on that since final 12 months. Clearly with our group coming to spring, I do know we’ve been fairly righty dominant.”

Rizzo’s signing additionally implies that the Yankees, who’re ceaselessly related to the sport’s greatest and highest-paid gamers, won’t usher in any of the top-tier low season free brokers, resembling first baseman Freddie Freeman and shortstop Carlos Correa. Extra regarding to the group’s fast future: The Yankees may run into issues with New York Metropolis’s non-public sector vaccine mandate ought to Rizzo nonetheless be unvaccinated.

Rizzo, 32, was at his greatest when he helped lead the Chicago Cubs to a long-sought World Sequence title in 2016. That 12 months, he hit 32 dwelling runs — his third of 4 straight years with 31 or extra — and he was second on the group with a .928 on-base plus slugging proportion. He continued to be wonderful by 2019, however has declined some over the past two seasons, combining to hit .240 with a .775 O.P.S. for the Cubs and the Yankees.

He additionally missed time final season after testing constructive for the coronavirus. Response to that information was difficult by his earlier skepticism towards receiving a vaccine. In June 2021, forward of a July commerce to the Yankees, Rizzo, a most cancers survivor, instructed reporters he had not but been vaccinated, saying he was “taking some extra time to see the info” in what he described as a “troublesome choice.”

If his vaccination standing has not modified, Rizzo wouldn’t at present be allowed to play dwelling video games at Yankee Stadium, because the Mayor’s Workplace confirmed on Tuesday that New York’s vaccine mandate, which has stored Kyrie Irving out of Nets dwelling video games, would apply to town’s M.L.B. gamers. Boone stated over the weekend that the Yankees “nonetheless have a number of guys” who’re unvaccinated, which may complicate the group’s lineup if the mandate isn’t lifted or the gamers proceed to stay unvaccinated.

Whereas that situation may very well be settled in a number of methods, Yankees followers will undoubtedly proceed to query the group’s incapacity to land a high free agent. Freeman, 32, has completed within the high 10 of the Nationwide League’s M.V.P. voting in 5 of the final six seasons, profitable the award as soon as, and led Atlanta to a World Sequence title final 12 months. Correa, 27, is coming off his greatest season. He hit 26 dwelling runs and received a Gold Glove with an astounding 20 defensive runs saved at shortstop. They continue to be unsigned.

The Yankees, as they usually are with main free brokers, have been linked at varied factors to each gamers, in addition to to a different high free agent, shortstop Corey Seager, who signed a 10-year, $325 million take care of the Texas Rangers simply earlier than the lockout.

As a substitute, the Yankees will enter the season with an infield of Rizzo, Torres, Kiner-Falefa and Donaldson. It doesn’t match the star energy some Yankees followers had hoped for, however it’s one that’s more likely to carry the group to baseball’s expanded postseason, notably if the Yankees’ pitchers and star outfielders stay wholesome.

James Wagner contributed reporting.