Chicago Cubs Rumors: Does an Anthony Rizzo reunion make sense?

The Chicago Cubs have spent much of the past month watching their former superstars find success in the Major League Baseball postseason as Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos will be playing in the World Series with the Philadelphia Phillies this week.

Anthony Rizzo enjoyed a run to the American League Championship Series with the New York Yankees. Rizzo and the Yankees were eliminated earlier this week by the Houston Astros but that shouldn’t take away from the postseason that he had personally.

In 37 plate appearances with the Yankees during the postseason, Rizzo had a slash line of .276/.432/.552/.984 to go along with 4 home runs and 185 wRC+.

Given the postseason success and overall success that he had in 2022, 32 home runs and 132 wRC+, it should come as little surprise that the former Chicago Cubs first baseman has his sights on opting out of his current deal with the Yankees.

Rizzo has a $16 million player option for the 2023 season and will review his options in the coming weeks before the start of free agency.

"“At this point, I’ll sit down my wife and I’ll sit down by agents and we’ll talk about all that,” Rizzo said after the Yankees’ season-ending 6-5 ALCS Game 4 loss at Yankee Stadium.“I’ve told (Yankees management) since signing the deal we’re not going to talk about it until after the season. Now in the next few weeks, it’s time to talk about it.”"

Naturally, the Cubs are going to be mentioned as a potential landing spot for Rizzo anytime he is a free agent moving forward.

Anthony Rizzo would be a great fit for the Chicago Cubs in free agency.

On the surface, there is some merit to the idea of the Cubs forming a reunion with the leader of the 2016-World Series-winning team. The Cubs have a need for a left-handed power-hitter and have a hole at the first base position. Rizzo checks both of those boxes.

Where things get murky regarding the Cubs and a reunion with Rizzo is the fact that the team has their first baseman of the future, Matt Mervis, on the brink of being Major League ready.

Rizzo, if he opts out of his deal with the Yankees, would be in the market for a 2-3 year deal. If signed, Rizzo would fully have the intent of being the starting first baseman for that duration with Mervis being relegated to a designated-hitter role against right-handed pitchers.

Jose Abreu remains the better fit for the Cubs in 2023. While Rizzo will likely see his average jump in 2023 to his career norm of .265 with the expected ban on the shift, Abreu does not need to depend on the ban as he is a career .292 hitter.

Abreu also creates an easier path for Mervis as the two could split time between first base and the designated hitter spot. The power numbers for Rizzo and Abreu probably would be similar as the former Cubs would no longer have the benefit of the short rightfield porch in Yankee Stadium.