ESPN: The Yankees strike a surprising trade deal to get a $100 million replacement for Rizzo.
The New York Yankees have been looking for a guy who can replace veteran first baseman Anthony Rizzo without sacrificing offensive output ever since the organization decided not to exercise its team option on him. They could also want to save money in the process. In 2025, Rizzo would have received $17 million.
The Yankees are now “considering” a move that would bring them a replacement who would cost them $14.2 million next season, but would bring a significant upgrade in production, at least when compared to Rizzo’s struggles in 2024, according to longtime Major League Baseball insider journalist Jon Heyman.
However, the Yankees would probably have to provide the new first baseman a contract extension, which is anticipated to cost over $100 million over five years, if they were to go ahead and execute the deal that is apparently being considered.
Josh Naylor’s deal is being considered by the Yankees.
Josh Naylor, a 27-year-old left-handed slugger for the Cleveland Guardians, is the man the Yankees are apparently considering. The Yankees’ offer to Cleveland, the club New York defeated in the 2024 American League Championship Series to get to the 2024 World Series, in return for Naylor was not speculated upon by Heyman.
Will Warren, who was selected by the Yankees in the eighth round of the 2021 draft, was the organization’s fifth-ranked prospect, according to a previous proposal put out by Yankees-watchers.
Warren struggled with five starts and one relief appearance in his 2024 Major League debut with the Yankees. Warren threw 22 innings and gave up 26 earned runs, including five home runs, for a bloated 10.32 ERA.
With just one year left on his deal, Naylor would be a one-year rental without an extension, which might lower the cost of obtaining him.
What’s the difference between Rizzo and Naylor? The answer is—quite well, according to Stathead’s comparative data. Considering 2024 performance, at least.
Naylor would be a major improvement.
Although Naylor’s WAR of 1.5 isn’t very impressive, it still makes him a significantly more valuable player than Rizzo, who had a WAR of 0.2. Additionally, Naylor’s OPS+ was 118, while Rizzo’s was only 81.
A player’s On-base Plus Slugging (OPS) % is compared to the league average to determine their OPS+ rating. The average OPS+ is set at 100 for every year. A score above 100 indicates superiority, while a score below 100 indicates inferiority.
Despite weighing 250 pounds and standing 5’11”, Naylor managed to steal six bases in 2024. No theft was noted by Rizzo. Over his six-year career, Naylor has stolen 25 bases. Lastly, in 2024, Naylor hit 31 home runs to just eight for Rizzo.
The Yankees’ primary goal is still the Cubs’ Cody Bellinger, but Heyman says the two teams still have a big difference in what it would take to obtain the veteran.
