The New York Yankees have clear needs to solidify their roster for a deep postseason run. Anthony Rizzo’s struggles have created a real need for an upgrade at first base. Rizzo was benched on June 9 and 10. The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner suggested a trade for Miami Marlins‘ Josh Bell would “make sense” to upgrade at first base.
Rizzo is slashing .220/.279/.332 this season. His advanced metrics also do not show any sign of an impending turnaround.
“Teams in this age of advanced data often justify a hitter’s poor performance by citing underlying hard-hit metrics that indicate better days might lie ahead,” wrote The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. “The Yankees can’t make that case with Rizzo. From bat speed to exit velocity to chase percentage, his Baseball Savant page is a blizzard of negativity, showing one metric after another in the bottom 20 percent of the league.”
Rizzo signed a two-year, $40 million contract with the Yankees in 2022. Bell was an All-Star in 2019 and won a silver slugger in 2022.
Bell An Upgrade for Rizzo
The Marlins traded for Bell at the deadline last season. On the Marlins in 2023 he had an .818 OPS in 53. He is not quite as good this season, but he is still having a solid season. He has a .707 OPS and seven home runs.
The Marlins will likely have many players available at the deadline. Their 23-43 record is the worst in the National League.
The Marlins have already indicated their intentions when it comes to the trade deadline. With the deadline still a ways away, the Marlins traded two-time All-Star and batting champion Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres.
Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix indicated the club’s thought process when asked about trading away a proven player for players with the potential to succeed.
“It’s part of the value of the player for the rest of the season when unfortunately our record is what it is and the fact is that we’re unlikely to make the playoffs this year,” said Bendix, according to the Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson. “Trading that for future value seems like the right thing for this organization right now.”
Bell would be a rental option for the Yankees in 2024. He exercised his player option for 2024 and will be a free agent in 2025. Rizzo has a $6 million buyout after this season on a $17 million club option.
Rizzo’s Future With the Yankees
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.
