Cubs fans savor Bryzzo's back-to-back jacks

CHICAGO -- Kris Bryant joked last month that teams might have to consider him and Anthony Rizzo a package deal if both reach free agency next winter. They have been one of baseball's most recognizable and accomplished duos for the Cubs.

On Sunday afternoon, the one-two punch affectionately known as Bryzzo in Chicago was once again a package deal for the North Siders. The pair’s back-to-back home runs in the first inning electrified the Wrigley Field audience and helped power a 5-1 win over the D-backs.

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“That really lifted us nicely early on,” manager David Ross said.

No amount of heroics over the next few days will stop the clock ticking down to Friday's 3 p.m. CT Trade Deadline. Bryant and Rizzo -- in the final years of their current contracts -- are both trade candidates, along with plenty of others on Chicago's roster.

That made the eruption from the fans inside the Friendly Confines understandable after the consecutive blasts. No one knows at this time how many more moments like that will be left for two of the cornerstones of the Cubs' recent success.

“As far as the sentimental stuff, I'm going to have to save that one for another time,” Rizzo said. “These next five days, there's going to be a lot more rumors. I'm sure the whole trade market in general is going to be heating up. We'll see what happens.”

After a leadoff walk by Willson Contreras, Bryant launched an 0-1 pitch from lefty Caleb Smith into the bleacher seats in left-center. It was a vintage Bryant home run, featuring a high arc that made it immediately known that someone was getting a souvenir.

Up next was Rizzo, who pulled a 3-2 pitch on a low trajectory over the right-field line. The buzz in the ballpark had barely dissipated by the time of the solo shot, which gave the Cubs a swift 3-0 advantage.

“We've done it a few times,” Rizzo said.

They have gone back-to-back seven times, to be exact, in their time together with the Cubs.

“It's always fun,” Rizzo continued. “Especially when one person hits the home run and the next guy comes up and hits one and the crowd just goes crazy. That's the energy and the exciting part of all of it.”

Those homers, combined with a two-run shot in the fourth by David Bote in his first game back from the injured list, provided more than enough support for Trevor Williams. The righty worked 6 1/3 shutout frames, ending with six strikeouts and no walks.

Given the uncertainty surrounding the coming days, however, the first-inning show put on by Bryant and Rizzo mattered most.

Bryant's blast was No. 17 on the year for a player responsible for hundreds of No. 17 jerseys dotting the stands. For Rizzo, his shot gave him 240 with the Cubs, moving him past Aramis Ramirez and into sole possession of sixth place on the franchise's all-time list.

Together, Bryant and Rizzo have 399 home runs while wearing Cubs uniforms. They have seven All-Star selections between them, plus four Gold Gloves (Rizzo) and an MVP and Rookie of the Year trophy (both by Bryant).

Rizzo was one of the first building blocks of this Cubs core, which has powered three division titles and five playoff berths in the past six years. He debuted in 2012, when the 101-loss Cubs were given the second pick in the ’13 MLB Draft. They grabbed Bryant, who debuted in ’15 and famously teamed with Rizzo for the final out of the 2016 World Series.

There has been a lot of winning, making this year a tough one to handle. Prior to Sunday’s game, Ross acknowledged that the outside narratives -- including the lack of extensions and increasing trade chatter -- have probably contributed to Chicago’s poor play on the field since late June.

“I would say there's been some impact, yeah,” Ross said. “It just adds a little bit of distraction, right? I mean, you try not to, for sure. You try to control what you can control, but yeah, there's other organizations that are just not in the positions that they want, but those aren't the narratives.

“I think it's just the group that's been together for so long, and we've got a number of free agents, so I think that's natural.”

Rizzo did not dismiss that notion, either, but noted that the core players have been dealing with trade rumors for multiple seasons. This is just the latest round, though it appears more anchored in reality with the Cubs struggling, contracts expiring and the Deadline looming.

That made a moment like the one Bryant and Rizzo enjoyed Sunday one to savor.

“We have no idea what's going to happen,” Rizzo said. “It's been almost four years now, this has been all the talk. I don't think really much has changed in that four years. It seems like, for the last four years, a lot was going to happen.

“This could be it. Yeah, you're right. When that happens, we'll face that when it happens. Until then, we just enjoy coming in, playing and it definitely feels good to get a win.”