Anthony Rizzo is retiring as a Chicago Cub after a 14-year MLB career, the team announced on Wednesday.
“Anthony Rizzo was the face of one of the most successful eras in Chicago Cubs history and we are so excited he will be a part of our organization for many years to come,” said Cubs executive chairman Tom Ricketts in a statement. “His play on the field spoke for itself and was recognized with multiple All-Star appearances, Gold Glove Awards, the Roberto Clemente Award and, ultimately, being a team leader on the 2016 World Series championship team.”
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Rizzo, 36, spent parts of 10 seasons in Chicago and will be honored on Saturday at Wrigley Field ahead of the Cubs’ game against the Tampa Bay Rays, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. In retirement, the longtime first baseman will become an ambassador for the franchise.
After being drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2007, Rizzo was dealt to the San Diego Padres as part of the Adrián González deal. After four seasons in the minors, Rizzo made his MLB debut with the Padres in 2011 where he played 49 games. That offseason he was on the move again, this time to the Cubs where he would establish himself as a key member of what would turn into a championship roster.
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Rizzo would have his best seasons with the Cubs, reaching 30 home runs and 100 RBI four times, while also appearing in three All-Star Games and earning four Gold Glove Awards at first base, including a Platinum Glove. In 2016, he won a Silver Slugger Award in 2016 and was named the 2017 recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award.
Rizzo would deliver a career year in 2016, which would see him hit a career high 32 home runs and record 109 RBI. That postseason he would bat .277 with three home runs — including a blast off Clayton Kershaw in Game 6 of the NLCS — and 10 RBI as the Cubs would go and snap their 108-year championship drought by winning the World Series over the Cleveland Indians in seven games.
Rizzo would catch Kris Bryant’s throw from third base for the final out.
After nearly a decade in Chicago, Rizzo’s time with the Cubs came to an end when he was dealt to the New York Yankees during the 2021 season. He would play parts of four seasons in the Bronx and finish his career winning an AL pennant and playing in another World Series in 2024.
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Rizzo’s 242 home runs with the Cubs is the sixth-most in franchise history, behind only Sammy Sosa, Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ron Santo and Ryne Sandberg. He’s also in the team’s record books as the player to have been hit by the most pitches with 165.
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