Rizzo’s Future in Baseball Uncertain Yet Promising
It seems that Anthony Rizzo might have stepped up to the plate for the last time in the major leagues, but his baseball journey could still continue.
Recently, Ned Colletti, who manages Team Italia, extended an invitation for Rizzo to join Italy’s squad for the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic.
“I asked him a few months back, and he said he would consider it,” Colletti shared during a recent radio show appearance.
“I’d really like to see him as a pinch hitter or something along those lines,” he added.
Rizzo, whose roots trace back to Cimina, Sicily, previously played for Team Italy in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
In that tournament, he managed four hits in 17 at-bats and walked five times over five games, aiding Italy’s advance to the second round before they were stopped by Puerto Rico.
The 36-year-old last played in the majors in 2024, wrapping up his season with a batting average of .228, alongside eight home runs and 35 RBIs over 92 games with the Yankees.
After battling several injuries, he made a return for the playoffs, with his final appearance being in Game 5 of the World Series against the Dodgers.
This offseason saw limited interest in him, but Rizzo was honored by the Cubs at Wrigley Field in September during a ceremony connected to his retirement.
“Honestly, I’ve been pretty down about things for the past few years. After breaking my arm last year, I told my family to just enjoy the ride,” Rizzo reflected. “When the right opportunity didn’t come, it became clear early on that retirement might be on the horizon. I was surprisingly at peace with it.”
Most of Rizzo’s career highs came while playing with the Chicago Cubs, where he made three All-Star teams and led the franchise to its first World Series win in 108 years in 2016.
He holds impressive stats from his time there: .272 batting average, 242 home runs, and 784 RBIs, along with four Gold Glove Awards throughout a decade in the league.
The Yankees picked him up during the 2021 trade deadline, and he stayed in New York for three and a half seasons.
With Rizzo and his wife Emily expecting their first child in January, Colletti acknowledges that there’s still a chance for him to participate in the Classic.
“We’ll have to see if he’s up for it,” Colletti remarked. “He needs to be ready for it; it’s not something you can just jump into.”
