Rizzo set for first trip to Wrigley Field as a Yankee

This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Anthony Rizzo won’t seek closure as he returns to Wrigley Field for the first time as a visitor this weekend, saying that he “couldn’t be happier” living in New York and playing for the Yankees. Yet memories of his Cubs career will surely flood back, particularly the events that transpired late in 2016.

That, of course, was when Rizzo helped deliver a World Series championship to the venerable ballpark at 1060 West Addison Street, snapping the franchise’s 108-year title drought. Rizzo and the Cubs celebrated their Game 7 win on the road at Cleveland’s Progressive Field, then again on the streets of Chicago, where the party still may not have ceased in some corners.

“It was fast, and you’re on top of the world,” Rizzo said. “That’s what you dream of. During that period, all the work you put in, everything’s worth it. The grind, the ups and downs, the ins and outs of the season, loving the game to hating the game for a second because you’re not doing well. It’s all worth it when you win.”

Rizzo has played against the Cubs since leaving, but only in the Bronx. He said that he still hears “countless” stories from fans who waited a generation for the Cubs to win it all, saying that it remains “really special” to know how impactful the triumph was. Though Rizzo doesn’t wear the World Series ring he and his teammates earned that November, he’ll occasionally break it out for guests.

“It’s locked up, but if someone is over at the house, I’ll show them,” Rizzo said. “For me, it was just living that moment. The ring is great and all, but I think it’s the bond you make with the guys on that team when you go through a championship like that. The bond you make is the most important thing.”

That 2016 Cubs core has scattered now; Rizzo’s departure was one of the big pieces moved, having been traded to the Yankees in July 2021 for a pair of prospects. Rizzo quickly fell in love with New York, as he and his wife Emily enjoyed spending mornings and off-days wandering Central Park with their dachshund, Kevin.

Rizzo re-signed with the Yankees after that ’21 season and belted 32 homers the next year, though his past two campaigns have been impacted by injuries -- a concussion last year and a right arm fracture this season.

“Getting traded here was a refresher for my career,” Rizzo said. “To be able to live in the city and play in Yankee Stadium is something that I wish every baseball player could experience. The lights are brighter; they shine a little brighter every day, and it brings out the best in you.”

Rizzo is sure to receive a tribute before his first plate appearance at Wrigley, an honor that ex-Cubs like Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber have savored in recent years. While Rizzo says he has turned the page from his Cubs chapter, the Windy City and its inhabitants will always hold a special place in his heart.

“As much as we love Chicago, I think where we ended up was perfect for us,” Rizzo said. “As far as closure to [Chicago], I think that door will always be open.”