Anthony Rizzo was the face of the Chicago Cubs for about a decade. He was one of the first players Theo Epstein set out to acquire when he took over in Chicago. Rizzo made his debut with the Cubs in 2012 but took over as the everyday first baseman in 2013. From 2013 to 2019 he averaged 153 games played, 29 home runs, and 96 runs batted in per season. He was a three-time All-Star and won four Gold Gloves during his time with the Cubs. He also compiled a 0.00 ERA!

Today he makes his first appearance at Wrigley Field since the Cubs traded him to the New York Yankees on July 30, 2021. The 2021 trade deadline saw the Cubs trade Kris Bryant to the San Francisco Giants and Javier Baez to the New York Mets in addition to Rizzo. Both Bryant and Baez have since returned to Wrigley Field and received nice ovations. Rizzo should get the most resounding cheer of all. He was truly the face of the Cubs. You cannot think about the 2016 World Series Championship without picturing his face when he caught the final out at first base.

The Cubs received Alexander Vizcaino and Kevin Alcantara from the Yankees for Rizzo. As we sit here three years later, those guys have made no impact on the franchise. Alcantara is currently at AAA Iowa and is the 6th ranked prospect in the Cubs organization according to MLB.com. Vizcaino does not appear on that list.

It will be a really cool to see Rizzo back at The Friendly Confines today.