The Yankees Need To Consider Acquiring A First Baseman

It’s now June and teams are evaluating whether they’ll be a buyer or seller at the trade deadline. The New York Yankees will be buyers at the upcoming deadline. The team needs a left-handed reliever that they’ll pursue for sure. However, given Anthony Rizzo’s struggles, an argument could be made for them to acquire a first baseman. So far this season, Rizzo has looked like a shell of himself. I believe the Yankees need to at least consider acquiring a first baseman at the trade deadline.

Anthony Rizzo Is Struggling

The Yankees have been having a great year. Everything seems to be clicking for them both with their offense and pitching staff. However, Anthony Rizzo just hasn’t looked like himself this season. He’s currently slashing .228/.289/.344 with just seven home runs and 25 RBI. He also only has an OPS of .633. This is a far cry from the feared left-handed bat that he used to be for the Yankees. New York has World Series aspirations and can’t afford to have any holes in their lineup. Rizzo will be turning 35 this year and seems to be entering the decline of his career. Given the high expectations, the Yankees can’t afford to continue to try and be patient. At this point, they need to accept that Rizzo isn’t the same player anymore.

The Yankees Have Made This Move Successfully Before

This isn’t the first time the Yankees have traded for a first baseman despite having multiple players who play the position. Back in 2021, despite having Luke Voit and DJ LeMahieu being capable first basemen, the Yankees acquired Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs. At the time of the Rizzo trade, Luke Voit was struggling and had been hampered by various injuries. Given Rizzo’s current struggles, looking at a potential first baseman acquisition must be in the back of GM Brian Cashman’s mind. They had success the last time they traded for one in 2021 and can easily duplicate that again.

The Stakes Are Too High To Wait Around

As the season has progressed, it’s becoming obvious that Anthony Rizzo is entering the twilight of his career. He’s currently on pace to have his worst season since his first year in the big leagues. Given his struggles and the Yankees championship expectations, this isn’t the year to wait. The stakes are too high this season.

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