Anthony Rizzo has no plans of retiring after devastating Game 5 World Series loss

Former Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo was at the center of the New York Yankees collapse against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series.

The Yankees held a 5-0 lead over the Dodgers entering the fifth inning of Wednesday's game. That was the moment that the wheels fell off for the Yankees. Among the defensive miscues that the Yankees had in the fifth inning was a miscommunication between Rizzo and Yankees' starting pitcher Gerrit Cole.

Faced with the bases loaded and two outs, Cole managed to get Dodgers' right fielder Mookie Betts to hit a ground ball to Rizzo at first base. It seemed that Cole and the Yankees were going to put an end to the Dodgers' push but when Rizzo fielded the ball, he looked to flip to Cole for the final out of the frame. The only issue was that Cole was expecting Rizzo to take the out himself. The miscue between Rizzo and Cole led to the Dodgers scoring their first of five runs that inning.

It was a rare moment of lack of awareness from Rizzo. Even though the responsibility was on Cole to cover first, Rizzo, throughout his career, has proven to have a keen sense of awareness. It was the beginning of the end for the Yankees at that moment.

Rizzo had been playing through a finger injury during the postseason and while speaking with reporters after the game, the former Cubs' first baseman expressed a desire to continue his playing career next season.

The Yankees hold a $17MM club option for the final year of Rizzo's contract in 2025. While Rizzo has become a leader within the Yankees clubhouse, injuries over the last two seasons have minimized his impact on the field. As the Yankees will also have to map out a potential historic contract for Juan Soto, declining Rizzo's option may be part of that process.