The Chicago Cubs have a long list of legendary figures who’ve made their mark with the franchise.
Few, however, have made as deep a mark as Anthony Rizzo.
The affable character was one of the elite first basemen in the league during his prime, winning four Gold Gloves and finishing in the top-10 of MVP voting three times during his ten year run with the team. He also played a vital role in helping give Chicago its first Cubs World Series championship in 108 years.
He will always be a beloved figure for Cubs fans and a guaranteed Cubs Hall of Famer.
Anthony Rizzo’s Uncertain Future
At 35, however, Rizzo now finds himself without a team as spring training starts, after three-and-a-half seasons with the New York Yankees.
Following an injury-plagued 2024 season, the Yankees declined his 2025 option and sent him into the unknown with a $6 million buyout.
As things sit now, Rizzo is out of the MLB picture and reluctantly pondering retirement.
“I’ve definitely thought about it. I think I have a lot to give to the game still,” Rizzo told The Athletic.
A Chicago Cubs-Anthony Rizzo Reunion?
Upon hearing of this development, many Cubs fans gave a reunion between Rizzo and the Cubs at least some thought.
There doesn’t appear to be any place for him on the major league roster at the moment, but could a team-less Rizzo be brought aboard on a minor league deal, as backup for Michael Busch and a 40-year-old Justin Turner?
The former Cub bemoaning veterans being offered league-minimum pay in The Athletic interview makes that possibility unlikely.
“If teams are not going to want to pay a few million dollars for veterans, I’ve seen it the last 10 years of my career. It’s what happens to the older guys,” Rizzo said. “They kind of get squeezed. You’ve seen it happen more and more. I’m not naive to it. It could be it…I’m a realist in the game and you’re getting older. The fact that teams want you to play for basically league minimum ($760,000), I’m like, you guys are crazy. You’re almost trying to ruin the market for the next guy.”
Minds May Change As Reality Sets In
But, will that mindset change when reality sets in and the only other option facing the 14-year veteran is retirement? Having baseball in his blood and Chicago at least somewhere in his heart could leave the door open to a reunion.
Even during the same interview where he laments veterans being disrespected with small-money deals, he talks about being open to a call from a team right now or at some point in the season. Baseball is in his blood and he’s not beyond the point of still being able to compete at the major league level.
“You go, do your thing, work out. I’m going to train until the season starts and even well into the season and see what happens,” Rizzo added. “I want to play. I want to win. And I love talking the game with pitchers, with hitters. There’s so much to dive into. Everything that goes into it, on the field, off the field, I’ll still be talking about it with guys. We’ll just see if I continue playing.”
The Cubs and Rizzo had an irreconcilable split back in 2021 when the first baseman turned down a five-year, $70 million contract extension that would’ve kept him in Chicago until 2026, but which also would’ve been a bit of a pay cut for him. The inability to reach an agreement resulted in the team trading him to the Yankees near the 2021 trade deadline for outfielder Kevin Alcantara and pitcher Alexander Vizcaíno.
A return to the Cubs organization would certainly be a feel-good move. And, if things go sideways at first base, the team could do a lot worse than Rizzo back in that familiar spot.
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