Former New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo remains a free agent heading into the second week of March.

Rizzo has 14 Major League seasons under his belt, spending the last four with the Yankees. His 2022 campaign was his first full year with the team, and his most productive. He slashed .224/.338/.480 matching his single-season in home runs with 32 and finishing with a 2.3 bWAR in 2022.

That’s far from the best year of his career, but he was a solid contributor for New York throughout that campaign.

His last two years were more uneven as he appeared in less than 100 games in each with a combined .7 bWAR over both seasons.

That’s a significant drop off for a player with four Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger award on his mantle. He also won the Roberto Clemente Award in 2017, which is given to a player committed to community involvement and helping others.

Not only is Rizzo a player that will warrant at least some Hall of Fame consideration in the future, but he’s known as an excellent clubhouse presence.

Rizzo will turn 35 years old in August, but he’s still preparing to play if an opportunity arises.

He joined former Yankees hitting coach and Big League first baseman Sean Casey on “The Mayor’s Office” podcast to discuss his current plans.

Rizzo lives in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., so he’s been hitting, throwing and staying in shape despite not being with a team this spring. Rizzo explained his mindset as “Working out, staying ready. You just never know what’s going to happen in this game.”

He’s also making a point to get in at least 10,000 steps per day throughout March.

Rizzo talked about how it gets harder every year to recharge in the offseason, and that the extra time not being in a team’s camp has put his body in a better position.

Rizzo is coming off a rocky 2024, one that saw his high-level defense take a step back in addition to his struggles on offense. Still, he’s a known leader and you could he is taking an authentic, positive approach to his current situation.

A player in his position, with his background is always one injury away from getting a call for a Big League opportunity,

Considering the rash of injuries the Yankees are currently suffering, he’s no doubt on management’s radar.

Giancarlo Stanton’s injury situation continues to become more concerning and new first baseman Paul Goldschmidt will turn 38 years old in September. If Stanton misses considerable time, it would make sense if Goldschmidt saw more at-bats as a designated hitter. In that scenario, New York already knows Rizzo is a strong clubhouse fit that is ready to fill a gap at first base if needed.