LAS VEGAS — First baseman Anthony Rizzo became a free agent again when he declined his $16 million option with the New York Yankees for 2023.
Mets pitcher Chris Bassitt declined his $19 million option with the New York Mets and followed rotation mates Jacob deGrom and Taijuan Walker into free agency.
They were among 11 players who became free agents, raising the total to 151. About 33 more players are potentially eligible to go free, joining a free agent class headed by Aaron Judge, Trea Turner and Dansby Swanson, deGrom, Carlos Correa and Xander Bogaerts.
Acquired from the Chicago Cubs at the 2021 trade deadline, Rizzo went free after the 2021 season and stayed with the Yankees for a deal that paid $16 million this year.
He hit 32 home runs for the fourth time in his career – he’s never hit more – and had 75 RBIs in 130 games despite a .224 batting average. The 33-year-old was sidelined between Aug. 31 and Sept. 18 by back pain and headaches from an epidural injection to treat his back.
Rizzo’s home runs were 40% of the Yankees’ 77 by left-handed batters and his RBIs were 37% of the 202 by New York’s lefties.
Bassitt gets a $150,000 buyout, completing a one-year deal for $8.8 million. The 33-year-old went 5-9 with a 3.42 ERA in 30 starts after the Mets acquired him from Oakland at the end of the lockout.
San Diego declined a $20 million option on 31-year-old outfielder Wil Myers, who gets a $1 million buyout that completes an $83 million, six-year contract. He hit .261 with seven homers and 41 RBIs.
Colorado turned down an $8 million team option on reliever Scott Oberg, who has not pitched since 2019 due to blood clots in his arms. Oberg completed a $13 million, three-year contract.
Left-hander Andrew Chafin turned down $6.5 million option with Detroit, making his deal worth $6.5 million for one season. He went 2-3 with a 2.83 ERA in 64 relief appearances.
NL champion Philadelphia declined a $17 million option on second baseman Jean Segura, who gets a $1 million buyout that finishes a $70 million five-year deal. Phillies right-hander Zach Eflin turned down a $15 million mutual option for a $150,000 buyout, completing a $5.7 million, one-year contract.
Minnesota declined options on right-handers Chris Archer ($10 million) and Dylan Bundy ($11 million) and first baseman Miguel Sano ($14 million) in favor of buyouts of $750,000 for Archer, $1 million for Bundy and $2.75 million for Sano, who finished a $30 million, three-year contract.
Infielder Josh Harrison‘s $5,625,000 option was declined by the Chicago White Sox in favor of a $1.5 million buyout.
Rizzo, Bassitt turn down options, among 11 now free agents originally appeared on NBCSports.com