Rizzo Talk Heating Up?

This will be a very unpopular move, but it sounds like the most noise around any Chicago Cubs position player is Anthony Rizzo. There had been some skuttlebutt surrounding Rizzo to an American League East team, and now it seems ESPN’s Buster Onley is linking him to the Boston Red Sox.

ESPN announcer Buster Olney believes that Anthony Rizzo will end up on the Boston Red Sox. He also mentions Kris Bryant and Javier Baez as potential New York Mets.

— Vinnie Parise (@VinnieParise) July 26, 2021

I had suspected the New York Yankees would be in pretty hard on Rizzo. His bat would make sense there, and the option to DH and platoon with Luke Voit (helping Rizzo’s back take time off) would pair nicely. But equally good for Rizzo is Boston, on many fronts.

Boston is the team that first believed in Anthony Rizzo, drafting him before he was dealt to the San Diego Padres. Sure, it was the Jed and Theo led front office’s that showed that belief, but it is a familiar place for him.

Boston’s Fenway Park also offers a very attractive, short, right field porch. This can absolutely benefit Rizzo over the next two months of the season. Boston would benefit from Rizzo being there since they currently have two first baseman on the IL, and Bobby Dalbec’s .656 OPS isn’t exactly tearing things up.

It’s been talked about with other Cubs core players, on the potential to sign them back in free agency. With either Javier Baez or Kris Bryant, I don’t see that as a possibility. In the case of Rizzo, it can be.

First, I believe the Cubs are better trading Rizzo to begin with. This isn’t because I don’t like him, I do, a lot. I think he’s the easier of the three core guys that are free agents to replace. First base is one of the easiest positions to find production from, and with guys like Bryant and Patrick Wisdom already on the roster, they can cover in his absence. The other problem they solve is the potential qualifying offer issue they would have with Rizzo.

See, the QO for the 2021 season will likely push over $19 million ($18.9m in 2020). The benefit for the Cubs in offering the QO is they would receive draft compensation if Rizzo (or any free agent) turns down the QO and signs with another team (before June). The fear here is, Rizzo would likely be encouraged to accept the QO from his agent, putting a $19m price tag on him for 2022, and the Cubs not receiving compensation. Trading Rizzo gives the Cubs a return, a return that is not guaranteed if they do not.

The good news is, the Cubs and Rizzo have already established extension talks. While Rizzo believes he’s worth more than what the Cubs offered, once he hits free agency he very well might see the offer was rather appropriate. So, naturally, he could see the return to Chicago as a mutually beneficial one.

There’s five more days of this folks, let’s strap it on.