The New York Yankees could be looking to upgrade their infield at the trade deadline. Specifically, the club could be looking to upgrade at first base. Anthony Rizzo has struggled in 2024 and has not shown many signs of a turnaround. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden suggested Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as a trade target to upgrade from Rizzo at first base.
The Toronto Blue Jays are 33-35 and three games back of the third wild card spot in the American League. They may indeed become sellers at the deadline, but there is no guarantee.
“The Yankees will monitor the right side of their infield between now and the trade deadline with hopes that both first baseman Anthony Rizzo and second baseman Gleyber Torres start producing at a higher rate,” wrote Bowden. “If they don’t, the Yankees will look at possible trade options. Depending on what teams fall out of the race, whether certain players sign contract extensions and other factors, impact players such as Pete Alonso or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could become available at first base.”
Rizzo’s Future With the Yankees
Rizzo has a .221 batting average this season and is slugging at just .332. The 34-year-old is a valuable piece of the Yankees clubhouse. He signed a two-year, $40 million in 2022. He has a $6 million buyout on a $17 million club option in 2025.
Rizzo’s future not only hinges on his production but also the Yankees’ payroll concerns and pursuit of Juan Soto.
The Yankees’ $300 million payroll was described as “not sustainable” by owner Hal Steinbrenner during the owners meetings on May 22.
“I’m gonna be honest, payrolls at the levels we’re at right now are simply not sustainable for us financially,” Steinbrenner said, according to the New York Post. “It wouldn’t be sustainable for the vast majority of ownership [groups], given the luxury tax we have to pay.”
Rizzo may become a casualty in the pursuit of Soto if the club also wants to reduce payroll. If Steinbrenner had not been concerned about the $300 million payroll the Yankees could pay everyone.
“Because the Yankees seem committed to saving money in spots they can, Rizzo may become a casualty of the team’s Soto pursuit,” The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner wrote while breaking down the Yankees’ payroll.
Guerrero is an Upgrade from Rizzo
Guerrero is a three-time All-Star, Gold Glove Award winner and Silver Slugger. He won his arbitration hearing before the 2024 season. His $19.9 million salary was the highest awarded in a case decided by a hearing in history. Financially, Guerrero will not be a cheaper option than Rizzo. However, he is still arbitration-eligible and will not be a free agent until 2026.
The Blue Jays may be inclined to move their stars at the deadline and build towards the future.
“I don’t think they’re opposed to it,” an unnamed executive told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. “They’ve talked to teams about it. The asks were ridiculous, but I think they’re going to try to retool a lot, and using those guys to get pieces may be the way to do it.”
Guerrero has a .281 batting average with a .778 OPS. The Yankees’ priority in the offseason will be keeping Juan Soto in the Bronx. However, if Rizzo isn’t producing enough then the Yankees could make a trade for a player like Guerrero. They could trade Guerrero in the winter if they do not want to pay him because it may interfere with their plans to keep Soto.
