CHICAGO — A pregame video montage of his career as a Cub followed by a standing ovation nearly brought New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo to tears before his team shut out Chicago 3-0 on Friday afternoon.
Rizzo had a hit and walk in his first game at Wrigley Field since being traded to New York in 2021.
“I was trying to hold it together,” Rizzo said afterward. “But you have to enjoy these moments. I was just being raw. I loved it here. I loved playing at Wrigley every day. The atmosphere is unmatched.”
Rizzo, 35, played nine seasons in Chicago before being traded, helping the Cubs to a World Series title in 2016 — the team’s first in 108 years. For that reason, as well as his charitable work within the Chicago community, he’s considered one of the most beloved figures from that era of Cubs baseball. On Friday, he hosted more than 200 cancer patients at the game.
“It was pretty cool, 40,000 people appreciating him the way he deserves,” former teammate Ian Happ said.
From 2012 until he left, Rizzo hit more home runs at Wrigley Field than any other player in the league. He was also the de facto team captain as the Cubs went to the postseason five different times.
“I want to soak it up all weekend,” Rizzo said of his return. “I don’t know the next time I’ll be able to play on this field. I hope we win. That’s it. That’s the biggest thing.”
The Yankees secured a win in Game 1 of the series as four pitchers combined for a one-hitter while Aaron Judge drove in his 125th run of the season with a double in the third inning. It was all New York needed to break a two-game losing streak as the Yankees attempt to wrestle the AL East away from the Baltimore Orioles.
Rizzo hopes to help after returning from a fractured arm that kept him out of the lineup for more than two months.
Before the game, Rizzo said getting traded — especially to the Yankees — was the best thing to happen to him because it took him out of his comfort zone.
“Getting traded has taught me so much about life in general and helped me grow as an individual,” Rizzo said. “When that gets uprooted, you walk into somewhere where you’re a rookie again. It’s about building relationships again.”
Rizzo has built those relationships at every stop of his career, especially in Chicago, where the fans feted him every time he took the field or came to the plate. His place in franchise history is secure.
“It was a great moment,” Rizzo said of the pregame ceremony. “It’s something that I’ll remember forever and cherish forever. To be able to come back and get that moment was really special.”