Rizzo retiring as a Cub after 14 seasons in MLB

CHICAGO - Former Chicago Cubs all-star Anthony Rizzo is returning to the enactment arsenic an ambassador for the nine and volition discontinue arsenic a Cub during an on-field ceremonial astatine Wrigley Field earlier Saturday's crippled against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Rizzo, 36, played 14 years successful MLB including a decennary with the Cubs wherever helium made 3 all-star teams and won 4 golden gloves. His biggest accomplishment was helping pb Chicago to a World Series rubric successful 2016, its first for the enactment successful 108 years. He played his last 3.5 seasons for the New York Yankees aft being traded determination successful the summertime of 2021.

"Anthony Rizzo was the look of 1 of the astir palmy eras successful Chicago Cubs past and we are truthful excited helium volition beryllium a portion of our enactment for galore years to come," Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts said successful a statement. "His play connected the tract spoke for itself and was recognized with aggregate All-Star appearances, Gold Glove Awards, the Roberto Clemente Award and, ultimately, being a squad person connected the 2016 World Series title team."

There volition lone ever beryllium 1 Anthony Rizzo. pic.twitter.com/d3APSO3QWf

Rizzo has a vocation .828 OPS including 303 location runs. His archetypal homer came arsenic a subordinate of the San Diego Padres aft being traded determination from the Boston Red Sox who drafted him successful 2007. The Cubs acquired him via commercialized successful 2012, soon earlier his vocation took off. By 2014, helium was a mainstay astatine archetypal basal for the Cubs who would marque the postseason each twelvemonth from 2015-2018 with Rizzo arsenic 1 of the faces of the franchise. He earned MVP votes successful 5 consecutive seasons portion hitting 30 oregon much location runs successful 4 of those years - not an casual task for a lefthanded hitter astatine Wrigley Field.

Rizzo was a cardinal subordinate for the Cubs during the 2016 postseason, hitting .360 with a .484 on-base percent against Cleveland successful the World Series aft hitting .320 successful the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He teamed with 3rd baseman Kris Bryant to signifier a dynamic duo successful the mediate of the Cubs lineup, yet taking location the team's archetypal rubric successful implicit a century.

Rizzo was known for his off-the-field enactment with crab patients arsenic overmuch arsenic helium was for his on-the-field accolades. A crab subsister himself, Rizzo created the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation with its sole intent to work kids with cancer. In 2017, helium was honored arsenic the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award, the highest assemblage work grant awarded by the league.

Rizzo joins different Cubs ambassadors including Andre Dawson, Ryan Dempster, Fergie Jenkins, Lee Smith, Billy Williams, Kerry Wood and Ben Zobrist.