Veteran first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who had a notable 10-season stint with the Chicago Cubs, was greeted with a standing ovation before Friday’s game, marking his first return to Wrigley Field since his trade to the New York Yankees in 2021.
At 35, Rizzo played over 1,300 games for the Cubs, boasting a .272/.372/.489 career batting line (130 OPS+) with 242 home runs and 36.7 Wins Above Replacement. During his time with Chicago, he was selected to three All-Star Games, won four Gold Glove Awards, and cemented his legacy by recording the final out of the 2016 World Series.
Here’s a glimpse of Rizzo being welcomed by the Wrigley Field crowd:
“I loved it,” Rizzo said to reporters about playing at Wrigley Field before the game. “The fans bring the energy there every day, just like at Yankee Stadium, Fenway, and Dodger Stadium. I think Fenway is my favorite place to visit as a visitor, but I’m excited to experience Wrigley as a visitor and be on the other side of it.”
Although Friday marked Rizzo’s first visit to Wrigley Field since leaving the Cubs, it wasn’t his first encounter with his former teammates, as the Yankees and Cubs have faced each other several times in recent years. However, this weekend is the first time the Yankees have visited Wrigley since 2017.
Additionally, Rizzo wasn’t the only former Cubs player making his first trip back to Wrigley Field since moving to the Yankees. Reliever Mark Leiter Jr., who was traded to New York at the deadline this summer, also returned on Friday, though with less fanfare.
As expected, the Cubs honored Rizzo’s return to Wrigley Field with a tribute video displayed on the scoreboard:
Leave a Reply