Anthony Rizzo savoring what could be his final Yankees days

More than anyone other successful nan Yankees clubhouse perchance could, Anthony Rizzo understood what it mightiness return to travel backmost from a 3-0 shortage successful nan World Series. 

But nan seasoned first baseman arrived astatine Yankee Stadium connected Tuesday besides knowing he could beryllium playing his last crippled arsenic a Yankee. 

Within 5 days of nan conclusion of nan World Series — which nan Dodgers led 3-0 entering Tuesday’s Game 4 successful The Bronx — nan Yankees will person to either prime up a $17 cardinal squad action connected Rizzo for 2025 aliases bargain him retired for $6 million.

It’s besides imaginable nan 2 sides could effort to discuss a woody astatine a different price. 

“I emotion playing here,” Rizzo said Tuesday afternoon. “I emotion being a Yankee. I emotion what comes pinch it. I emotion nan modular that has been group present from each nan generations, nan awesome Yankees successful nan past. 

“Yeah, this could very good beryllium [my past crippled arsenic a Yankee]. I’m a realist. I’m not naive to it. But I deliberation each that will style retired erstwhile nan clip is right. It’s much conscionable driving to nan section and being pinch this group that intends nan astir to me.” 

The 35-year-old Rizzo, who came backmost from a 3-1 shortage to triumph nan 2016 World Series pinch nan Cubs, has spent this year’s ALCS and World Series playing done 2 surgery fingers connected his correct hand.

Nevertheless, he came into Tuesday batting .364 pinch a .926 OPS, providing an unexpected root of discourtesy adjacent nan bottommost of nan lineup. 

The left-handed hitter, coming disconnected back-to-back injury-plagued seasons, was already a respected fig wrong nan Yankees clubhouse, but has only reinforced that by playing wounded successful these playoffs. 

“He is beloved successful location [the clubhouse], beloved by me,” head Aaron Boone said. “What he’s gone done nan past mates years connected nan wounded front, to travel backmost and play done what he’s playing done correct now and to play astatine nan level he’s playing at, it’s a bully peek into his playoff mettle, his big-game mettle, his toughness, nan measurement I put it, his moxie, his expertise to play nan crippled wrong nan game. 

“I consciousness for illustration he’s consenting himself connected guidelines successful definite situations. He’s a large beingness successful our room.” 

Whether he continues to beryllium adjacent year, though, remains successful question.

Follow The Post’s sum of nan Yankees successful nan postseason:

• Heyman: Yankees crumbling successful World Series raises uncomfortable questions
• Yankees determine connected Game 4 starter aft Gerrit Cole hesitance
• Sherman: Dodgers exposing nan Yankees successful each way
• Vaccaro: Yankees only person 1 dream to propulsion disconnected Red Sox-like miracle

The Yankees don’t precisely person anyone knocking astatine nan doorway from nan insignificant leagues to play first guidelines — rookie Ben Rice provided a spark location this summertime erstwhile Rizzo was retired pinch a fractured forearm, though he is simply a earthy catcher — but Rizzo is coming disconnected nan worst 2 regular seasons of his 14-year career. 

After hitting .244 pinch a .706 OPS crossed 99 games successful 2023 — earlier he was yet diagnosed pinch post-concussion syndrome, having played done it for 2 months — he deed .228 pinch a .637 OPS successful 92 games this season, which included missing 2 and a half months pinch nan forearm injury. 

With Hal Steinbrenner already having said that a payroll successful excess of $300 cardinal is not sustainable and nan Yankees offseason expected to halfway astir trying to re-sign Juan Soto to a hefty contract, they look improbable to bring backmost Rizzo astatine $17 million.

But it is not retired of nan mobility that he still finds a measurement backmost onto nan roster adjacent twelvemonth astatine a little value point. 

In nan meantime, Rizzo was trying to soak up nan last days of nan season. 

“There’s nary tomorrow anymore,” Rizzo said. “There really isn’t. Today could beryllium our past thrust to nan ballpark. Today could beryllium nan past clip this team’s ever together — this could beryllium nan past clip we’re ever together.”