Rizzo wants Judge back ‘for the sake of the game’
NEW YORK — Now that Anthony Rizzo has decided to remain in New York Yankees pinstripes, he’d like to see Aaron Judge stick around, too.
“I hope Judge stays just for the sake of the game,” Rizzo said Wednesday “because you see a lot of franchise icons not getting what they deserve for the team that they have done so much for.”
Rizzo agreed Tuesday to a $40 million, two-year contract, a week after turning down a $16 million player option.
“My wife, Emily, and I really love it here. We love the city. We love the energy. We love Yankee Stadium. We love going to Yankee Stadium and playing at that park every day,” Rizzo said. “And you look at the team, the New York Yankees are a team that, this organization, this franchise, that has consistently put winning products on the field.”
Rizzo gets $17 million in each of the next two seasons, and the deal for the first baseman includes a $17 million team option for 2025 with a $6 million buyout.
Judge, who remains on the free agent market, contacted Rizzo after the agreement.
“Just congratulations — the basics: ‘Well deserved. Happy for you. Say hi to Emily,'” Rizzo remembered.
He hit .224 with 75 RBI and had 32 home runs for the fourth time in his career. He hit 19 home runs at Yankee Stadium, including six close to the right-field foul line.
Rizzo said his back has not hampered him during offseason workouts.
Acquired from the Chicago Cubs at the 2021 trade deadline, Rizzo helped the Cubs to the 2016 World Series title — their first in 108 years.
“Just playing baseball isn’t enough in a big market. There’s a lot of other things that come with that and I enjoy doing those things,” he said. “I enjoy taking responsibility to do those things, to stand up to talk to the media, good, bad or indifferent. And I think that really teaches you a lot about this game of baseball and it teaches you valuable lessons in your own life. Everyone loves you when you’re good, your coaches, the media, your friends, everyone, you’re the greatest thing on earth. But things go bad, that’s when you really find out who you are.”
He wouldn’t detail which other teams contacted him. though he did not have any face-to-face meetings.
“When teams reach out to you in this process, it just makes you feel good,” Rizzo said. “I feel like in this game you are told what you don’t do really well, so in free agency when teams call, they praise you.”
He looks ahead to restrictions on defensive shifts next season.
“I’m hoping, obviously optimistically, like every lefty, I feel like I get very affected by the shifts, as a lot of lefties around the league,” he said. “Those maybe meaningless little singles that get in the hole there, I feel like turn a lot of us lefties into a very dangerous hitter.”
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is not expected to play against Mississippi State on Saturday, per sources, as the Longhorns staff is expected to sit him out in order for him to be fully healthy for the game against Oklahoma on Oct. 12.
A final decision on Ewers is expected later Saturday, per sources, but the decision is trending toward allowing him to use Texas’ week off following the Mississippi State game to get healthy. Ewers has been considered week-to-week since injuring his oblique against UTSA on Sept. 14.
Ewers finished the week at nearly 70%, as he practiced Tuesday, was limited Wednesday and ended up limited in practice Thursday to allow him to fully heal. Per sources, the Texas coaching staff wanted to give Ewers the extra rest to ensure he’d return at full strength.
The decision means that Texas will against start backup quarterback Arch Manning, who will make his first career start in an SEC game. Manning made his first start against Louisiana Monroe, completing 15 of 29 passes for 258 yards. He had two touchdown passes and two interceptions.
Ewers’ oblique injury came in the wake of him displaying one of the season’s best performances at Michigan in Week 2, as he threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout Texas win in Ann Arbor.
Mississippi State enters the game on a three-game losing streak, which includes back-to-back blowout home losses to Toledo and Florida. The Bulldogs are trending toward finishing at the bottom of the SEC, as they have one of the country’s worst defenses. They are No. 111 nationally in total defense and No. 107 in scoring defense.
Mississippi State will also be without its starting quarterback, as starter Blake Shapen is out for the year after suffering a shoulder injury against Florida. Michael Van Buren, a true freshman, will make his first career start for the Bulldogs.
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Georgia defensive lineman Mykel Williams is a “true game-time decision” for the No. 2 Bulldogs at No. 4 Alabama on Saturday night, according to ESPN sources.
Williams has missed the previous two games with a Grade 2 ankle sprain, which he suffered against Clemson in the opener. He’ll be evaluated in pregame warmups and a decision will be made on his status.
Williams has been limited in practice this week, and it’s expected that if he does play it’ll be at less than 100 percent. He’s also unlikely to play a heavy snap count if he does play, as he’s working his way back.
Williams is a marauding defensive end who is the best player in Georgia’s front seven and is a high-end NFL prospect. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has him ranked No. 4 overall player for the 2025 NFL draft.
Williams started the season hot before injuring his ankle against Clemson, as he had two tackles for loss and three quarterback pressures in that game.
They will be an onus on Georgia’s defensive line, especially on the ends, to help slow Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in Tuscaloosa.
Georgia’s defensive line will benefit from the return of senior Warren Brinson, who is listed as probable after missing the past two games. Sophomore defensive lineman Jordan Hall is questionable for the SEC showdown.
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Utah quarterback Cam Rising, who has been snakebit by injuries the past two years, is again expected to be a game-time decision against Arizona on Saturday night, sources told ESPN.
Rising has missed No. 10 Utah’s past two games after an injury to his throwing hand that he suffered against Baylor on Sept. 7. He missed all of last season after an ACL tear in the Rose Bowl following the 2022 season.
Rising’s status will undergo the same evaluation process with the Utah staff as before the Oklahoma State game last week. He’ll throw the ball pregame, and his ability to deliver spin and velocity on the ball will determine whether he’ll play, per sources.
As Rising has struggled to recover and get back on the field, one factor that could weigh into the decision is the chance to get him back fully healthy in two weeks. Utah has a bye before they play at Arizona State on Oct. 11.
Rising has practiced this week but remained limited as the staff has attempted to rest his finger.
Freshman Isaac Wilson has started the past two weeks, leading the Utes to victories over Utah State in Logan and in Stillwater against the Cowboys.
Wilson has shown both moments of promise and interspersed those with moments that have illuminated his youth. He threw for 207 yards on 17-of-29 passing against Oklahoma State. He also threw two interceptions. He threw for three touchdowns and 239 yards against Utah State.
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