An All-Star first baseman who last played for the New York Yankees is calling it a career. He announced his retirement on Wednesday after 14 MLB seasons, in which he filled up his trophy case with more than a few honors.
The player in question, of course, is Anthony Rizzo, who spent his prime years with the Chicago Cubs. According to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, the Cubs will honor Rizzo on Saturday at Wrigley Field ahead of the Cubs-Tampa Bay Rays game.
Rizzo’s time with the Yankees was not without its ultra-productive stints. He hit 32 home runs in 2022 with a .224/ .338/ .480 slash line. Over his final two seasons, however, the injury bug continually afflicted Rizzo, limiting him to just 191 games across both 2023 and 2024.
Last season, in which Rizzo’s Yankees reached the World Series, Rizzo broke his arm and also fractured two of his fingers during the campaign. He returned in time for the ALCS and World Series but did not play a key role for the Yankees.
New York declined Rizzo’s $17 million option after last season.
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Rizzo was once a member of the Boston Red Sox organization. He was drafted by the Red Sox, in fact, in 2007 (sixth-round pick) and spent three years with the franchise before getting traded to the San Diego Padres. He was dealt to the Cubs in 2012, and the rest is history.
Rizzo, 36, walks away from the game with a career .261 batting average, 303 home runs and 965 RBIs. Rizzo made three consecutive National League All-Star teams (2014-2016) while playing for the Cubs, along with a World Series title in 2016 with Chicago. He also finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting between 2014 and 2016.
The accolades don’t end there for Rizzo. He was a four-time Gold Glover (2016, 2018-2020), a Silver Slugger (2016) and a recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award (2016).
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