The New York Yankees are playing at Wrigley Field for the first time since 2017 this weekend. That means that first baseman Anthony Rizzo is playing his former team, the Cubs, for the first time since he was traded in 2021. The 2016 legend got a huge ovation on Friday afternoon ahead of the first game of the series.
When he came to the plate for the first time, there was another surprise for Rizzo. He came up in the Yankees' half of the second inning and the Cubs' stadium crew played his walkup music from his Chicago days.
A very special moment for the Cubs legend. The 2016 championship team will always garner a massive reaction in the Friendly Confines. As the only World Series winners in the last 115 years, each player on that team deserves this reaction. Javier Baez got one earlier this season when the Tigers came to town.
Anthony Rizzo is key to Yankees' success
Rizzo came back from an arm injury just in time to return to Wrigley Field. He got hurt in June against the Red Sox and has been out ever since. Rizzo came back last week and has played four games since his return. In his absence, DJ LeMahieu played most of the games at first base for the Yankees and continued his dreadful season.
LeMahieu is hitting .204 with two home runs in 201 at-bats this season and has a bWAR of -1.7. While Ben Rice did come up and show some pop at first base, he fell off offensively and was returned to the minors upon Rizzo's return. The Yankees need another bat to step up in the order to help Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.
The Yankees' success is always measured in October. If they win their 28th title, the struggles of June through August, at least, will be forgotten. If they lose to the Astros again, it will be the same story in a different year. While he will always be remembered as a Cub, Rizzo can become a Yankee legend with postseason homers in a championship year.
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