As spring training draws to an end, a couple of players from the 2024 Yankees squad remain free agents.
Both outfielder Alex Verdugo and first baseman Anthony Rizzo have yet to land with a new team, and there appears to be little interest in either. Former Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer thinks there’s a problem with that.
“How we living in a world where the everyday LF and 1B for the New York Yankees World Series team don’t have jobs after the first MLB game of the season,” Hosmer wrote on X on Tuesday. “Not even an offer for one of them!”
Many responses to Hosmer’s post argued that Vergudo and Rizzo didn’t have jobs because they were asking for too much for their level of talent. And they didn’t perform well in 2024. Hosmer responded on Wednesday to one graphic of their stat lines.
“So then how were they everyday guys for the NEW YORK YANKEES all the way up until the World Series and then all of a sudden no opportunities to go out and get a job Anybody picking up what I’m putting down ?” Hosmer asked.
Hosmer clarified in another comment that he was referring to the WAR stat as being “so stupid.” According to Baseball Reference’s WAR, Verdugo was worth 0.8 and Rizzo was worth 0.2.
Verdugo, 28, posted an 83 OPS+ last season in New York, the first time in his career over a full campaign he was a below-average performer. He batted .233/.291/.647 with 13 home runs and 61 RBIs in the regular season over 621 plate appearances. He started 14 games during last year’s playoff run, where he posted a .208/.309/.313 line with a home run and eight RBIs in 56 plate appearances.
Rizzo is also coming off of a down year in which hit .228 with eight home runs and 35 RBI over 375 plate appearances.
Verdugo earned $8.7 million last season. Rizzo signed a two-year $40 million deal with the Yankees after the 2022 season which included an opt out for 2025. The Yankees declined his $17 million option and paid him the $6 million buyout.
