Could Anthony Rizzo Be The Answer For The Guardians At First Base?
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Let's put history behind us. Especially if that means that this Guardians team we all love gets substantially better.
Anthony Rizzo may not be the most beloved name in Cleveland. Most notably for the 2016 World Series and recently for the 2022 ALDS which he was a member of the New York Yankees. But he also may be the perfect fit at first base for the Cleveland Guardians.
Rizzo is reportedly set to decline his player option with the New York Yankees which makes him an unrestricted free agent. While we don't know the reasons why he decided not to resign with New York we do know that other teams will have the chance to bring in the first baseman.
Plus, first base is a position that the Guardians need to address this offseason.
Josh Naylor is still a solid fit at the position but in a platooned role. He only had a .173 batting average and one home run off lefties in the regular season. This was massively exposed in the playoffs.
Rizzo was better than Naylor with 10 homers off lefties and a .398 OBP. Platooning Rizzo and Naylor at first would give each player an opportunity to go up against pitchers they will thrive against.
Cleveland's other option at first base during the season was Owen Miller. He started the season red-hot but quickly fell off offensively. His defense at first also wasn't great at times.
Rizzo, on the other hand, is a much better defensive first baseman. He's been playing there his entire career, unlike Miller who transitioned there last season.
There are a lot of options that the Guardians could look at for first, but Rizzo brings something this lineup needs which is power. His 32 home runs would have been the most on the Guardians last season.
Putting him in the fourth and fifth spot in the lineup would be massive protection for Jose Ramirez who was among the league leaders in intentional walks in 2022.
Signing Rizzo also fulfills another need this team desires which is an experienced veteran. Rizzo has substantial playoff experience and has been a part of a number of different teams that have reached the postseason. He's seen success and heartbreak.
This is something that is invaluable for a young team with aspirations such as the Guardians.
If the Guardians don't have to overpay for Rizzo it would be worth putting his past performances against Cleveland behind us to see the full potential of this team.
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Read More:
Why Jose Ramirez Should Win The 2022 Hank Aaron Award
Jose Ramirez's Injury Wouldn't Stop Him From Leading 2022 Guardians To Playoffs
Biggest Takeaways From Francona, Antonetti's Season Recap Press Conference
Guardians All-Star Jose Ramirez Named Gold Glove Award Finalist
Why We Should Be Grateful, Optimistic For Cleveland Guardians Baseball
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