The New York Yankees will have to add some talent to bounce back from an 82-80 season, but Anthony Rizzo's performance coming back from a concussion that derailed his 2023 season will be a huge component as well.

Anthony Rizzo was off to a great start in 2023 before he and Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres came together on a pick off attempt. Rizzo suffered a concussion that was undiagnosed for a period of time, and his performance dropped off dramatically before he shut things down late in the year. That along with Aaron Judge's injury was a death blow for a Yankees offense that struggled outside of those two.

The good news is that Rizzo's agent Ryan Gleichowski said he is doing “great” according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Yankees fans will be unsatisfied if the team does not add significant help on offense this offseason, but one of the realities is that Rizzo bouncing back would be a huge development for the team. The lineup lacks some quality left-handed bats, and Rizzo was the best of that kind on the roster before his injury.

The Yankees are rumored to be interested in multiple left-handed outfielders, with Juan Soto and Cody Bellinger being the two that stand out. Cody Bellinger is a free agent, so it would just take money to land him. Juan Soto would require a trade from the Padres. Both would improve the lineup.

While Yankees fans want the team to land an impact lefty bat, the importance of Rizzo's health should not be underestimated.