After the pregame video tribute, first baseman Anthony Rizzo emerged from the visiting dugout to a standing ovation from the 40,101 fans at Wrigley Field.
The former franchise stalwart tipped his cap to every part of the crowd. It was Rizzo’s first time at Wrigley since being traded at the 2021 trade deadline to the Yankees for outfielder Kevin Alcantara and right-hander Alexander Vizcaino.
“This [game] was definitely circled on the calendar for me, my family, all my friends,” Rizzo said before the Yankees’ 3-0 victory Friday against the Cubs.
In many ways, Rizzo connected more with the fans than World Series teammates Kris Bryant and Javy Baez because he had endured the losing. Rizzo suffered through 101-, 96- and 89-loss seasons in his first three years with the Cubs at the start of the rebuild.
Bryant was the reward the organization reaped from those years of losing, and Baez was developing in the minors. But Rizzo experienced those tough seasons as former president of baseball operations Theo Epstein tore down and rebuilt the team.
At every opportunity — whether it was during the lineup introductions or an at-bat — Cubs fans showered Rizzo with applause.
“This place is special,” Rizzo said.
Rizzo endeared himself to Cubs fans with his affable personality. For many fans, he was their generation’s Mr. Cub, so it wasn’t surprising to see them cheer Rizzo whenever they could.
“[Rizzo] embraced being a Cub, embraced the city,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “When you think of all the things he did for kids in the city from Day 1, he hadn’t even established himself, and he was already doing stuff with Lurie Children’s Hospital and his [Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation].
“If you embrace the city, they’ll embrace you back.”
Rizzo, a cancer survivor, said his work with Lurie Children’s Hospital means the most to him, and he’s glad it’s part of his legacy.
“As an athlete and baseball player with a platform, you can really help out,” Rizzo said. “To put smiles on people’s faces that are going through hard times means more than anything I can do on a baseball field.”
Rizzo hopes to remain a Yankee for the rest of his career, but he could see himself and his wife, Emily, living in Chicago after his playing days.
The trade shocked Rizzo initially, but he said he grew from the experience of having to learn a new environment after 11 years with the Cubs. With the Yankees, he had to start over.
“You get used to something for so long, and getting traded to an organization and learning all new names, faces and players was awesome,” Rizzo said. “It was refreshing.”
The Cubs entered the series with 2% odds of making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs. Despite a 23-20 record in the second half, the Yankees’ odds to make the postseason are at 100%.
Rizzo’s return is a reminder of how he and the 2016 Cubs redefined success on the North Side and how far the current group has to go to return the organization to that standard.
“Before I left, we turned the franchise from lovable losers to expected winners,” Rizzo said. “I don’t know what that expectation is anymore because I’m removed, but I know in New York, the expectation is to win every day.
“That brings the best out of me. That makes you really check yourself in the mirror.”