Anthony Rizzo On Fixing the Cubs, Retirement Life, World Series Anniversary, More

If you squinted hard enough on the Zoom call, Anthony Rizzo appeared to be sitting in front of a familiar Cubbie blue backdrop. The franchise legend was on Chicago's west side for a special event – one that presented local kids with the opportunity of a lifetime.

Of course, this is nothing new for Rizzo, who was known for making kids' days and his philanthropic ways throughout his iconic career. What was new for Rizzo, however, was standing on the pitch instead of the diamond.

Abbott has teamed up with soccer powerhouse Real Madrid to form the Abbott Dream Team. In the second year of their partnership, the program travels across the United States to build a squad of talented teenage players for an overseas trip. The 16 selected for the squad will head to Spain to train with the Real Madrid crew, see a match, and learn more about what it takes to compete at the highest level.

Chicago is one of six U.S. cities where locals had a chance to try out. And with a much lighter schedule nowadays, Rizzo didn't want to miss out on another opportunity to connect with the city's youth.

"Yeah, it’s very cool," Rizzo said of having more time for community events. "Obviously, having all the ties to Chicago and playing here and being in this community for so long, I think it’s very cool to give back to the community. And what Abbott and Real Madrid are doing is really, really cool.”

To be clear, Rizzo's job wasn't to give soccer pointers, though he did manage to score one goal during drills (he made sure to stress that averaging one a game would easily make him a Hall of Famer). Instead, Rizzo was there to share some words of wisdom about everything that goes into being a professional athlete. He harped on all the little things, including the importance of keeping your body right off the field.

His biggest piece of advice, however? It was simple.

“To have fun, honestly, that’s what it’s all about ... I was just doing some drills with them. They all seem super engaged. They love the sport of soccer," Rizzo said. "When you see passion like that, it’s the easiest thing to work with because you know they want it, you know they’re hungry. I always tell kids, if you know you love it, go after it. When you love something, you’ll do everything you can to make what you want come true and make your dreams come true.”

The words served as a direct reminder of all the good Rizzo still plans to offer. Even if his playing days officially came to an end in September of 2025, the 36-year-old has shown that he doesn't have any plans of stepping away from the game. If anything, by teaming up with Abbott and Real Madrid, he's demonstrated that his impact can stretch far past baseball.

Fans Anthony Rizzo — Sep 13, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Fans hold up signs for former Chicago Cubs player Anthony Rizzo during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Perhaps this is why retirement wasn't a stark transition. Rizzo has been nothing but content with his post-playing life, sharing that the only real change has been ... well ... diapers.

“My wife and I just welcomed our firstborn into the world, so it’s being a dad that’s different. That’s a transition. But I kind of knew I was at the end of the road with baseball. I came to peace with it, and I loved everything I did on the field. And, now, not playing has been nice. A lot more relaxing,” Rizzo smiled. “You’re own schedule, no stress as far as having to roll over the second baseman or make outs."

As relaxing as it may be, Rizzo has kept busy. One of his newest commitments is with NBC as a commentator and analyst. He recently had a chance to call his first game at the Friendly Confines, getting another up-close look at his former squad.

With that in mind, it only felt right to have him put his new media hat on and discuss the Cubs' downward spiral. The team was one of the hottest in baseball to begin the year, rattling off two different ten-game winning streaks. Due to a slew of injuries and ice-cold bats, however, the wheels have fallen all the way off in recent weeks. Wednesday night's loss marked a new low, as the Cubs dropped a 2-1 battle to the worst team in baseball and slipped to .500.

It's hard for fans to see the light at the end of the tunnel right now. But if anyone knows how a clubhouse can weather the storm, it would be the Cubs' former leader.

“I think you just keep it small picture, keep it really micro," Rizzo said. "When you're scuffling as a team, and you’re scuffling individually, you really have to do the day-to-day process and really the little things. You can’t worry about the playoffs right now.

You have ten good days of baseball, and you’re right back to being World Series contenders like they were three or four weeks ago. This is the ebbs and flows of a season. This is an experienced group. They have been through big league seasons. It never feels good when you’re not doing well. All the guys on that team want to produce, they want to perform, they want to be the guy. It’s part of the grind.”

Easily the biggest problem for the Cubs this season has been capitalizing when runners are on second and third. As of publishing, the team holds a .222 batting average with runners in scoring position. The only team worse in this department has been the Cincinnati Reds.

Rizzo, known for plenty of clutch moments throughout his career, couldn't help but acknowledge the glaring issue. He also couldn't help but provide a glimmer of hope.

“You've got to get results, honestly. One ball has to land. If you make an out, your mind automatically goes to, ‘of course it’s an out with the guys on second.’ Then, sure enough, when you come up and no one is on, that ball falls, right?

Sometimes that’s the way it goes in baseball, honestly. You can’t control that. You have to put good at-bats together. The narrative for this team right now is not hitting and leaving guys on base. And on the inside, hopefully, they can block that noise out as much as possible and just stick to the grind. Those guys are all professionals; they all know how to handle success and, most importantly, they are where they’re at because they know how to handle failure the best.”

Rizzo discussed plenty more about taking in games at Wrigley, his broadcasting career, and where baseball is trending. For a deeper look at our conversation, you can read through the rest of the Q&A below!

An Extended Conversation With Anthony Rizzo ...

Sep 13, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Anthony Rizzo former Chicago Cubs player and team ambassador throws out a ceremonial first pitch prior to a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

ES: You just had the experience at Wrigley calling a Sunday Night Baseball game. How was that? Was that a cool thing to be there in the booth for?

AR: “Very cool. A lot of learning on the fly, just trying to soak in all the information from great broadcasters before me, great reporters before me, and learn all the different avenues. NBC has been a great partner to work with, they’ve helped me out tremendously. I get to sit alongside Bob Costas and Jason Bennetti on a Sunday night basis, so it’s been fun.”

Is there anything that has surprised you about joining the media side of things, or anything that has caught you off guard?

“Not yet, I’m sure it’ll be there. I’m sure there will be ups and downs. But pretty much as expected. I’ve always had a deep respect for all the members of the media, so this side now, I know what it’s like to go into the locker room; you've got to respect their space. It’s the player’s sanctuary, but all I want to do is paint a good picture for the audience.”

I’m sure you’re going to know better than anyone from your time there what this team means to the city, but now you kind of have those fun moments. You’re in the crowd. You’re at Wrigley. You’re experiencing some of these games alongside them. How has that been? Has it given you a different perspective than maybe being on the diamond?

“Not really, with a different perspective. I understand how much Cubs fans interact. I understand their love and passion. For me, I always tried to interact with them as well and play loosely and with some joy on my face. But watching the game – the game is a lot harder.

Everyone says it’s a lot easier when you retire, but the guys that are pitching and the defenses now, the defensive alignments. It’s really hard to get a hit. Nine vs one when you’re in the batter’s box, and sometimes it feels like it’s 18 vs. one. I understand how hard the game is. I understand the grind. When I come in, I’m all happy-go-lucky. 'Hey, what’s up boys!' But I understand, at the end of the day, they’re in the grind right now. They’re in a long stretch of baseball. It’s a couple off days a month. I’ll never lose perspective of that.”

That’s interesting that you said the game itself is getting harder and harder. You’ve only been out of it for only a year or so. Is that really how fast you feel like it’s moving right now? Did you think that was always the case when you were playing, or do you think right now something about it is getting harder?

“The game has been trending in the right direction, at least competitively, forever. We’re always evolving, right? But it seems like every single pitcher right now is sitting 95+ and not the 90-94 anymore. Then, guys out of the bullpen who you’ve never heard of before are throwing 100. Guys throwing 103, 104, 104. It’s just the constant beating in that aspect that the game is in a great spot. It’s hard-nosed. Every day, you better bring your lunch pail and play. Not that it was different a few years ago, it’s just the technology, the advancement of players, the development of players, I just feel like it's in a good spot.”

Pete Crow-Armstrong has really burst onto the scene over the last couple of years. You’re well aware that he’s kind of emerged as that next Cubs star. What has impressed you? I’m sure you’ve gotten to know him a little bit, so what has impressed you about his approach on and off the field?”

“He has a lot of raw talent. I think he’s still really figuring it out, I think his ceiling had not been hit yet. He’s going to grow into the player he is. He’s always going to have his speed. He’s always going to have his defense. Base running – everything is electric. Defensively, there has been a few mishaps in the outfield, but as he gains experience, the sky is the limit. Offensively as well, he’s gotten off to a little bit of a slow start, which is sometimes good for players, and it seems like he’s really found his groove over the last few weeks. As he just faces, gets more reps every single day, he’s going to make adjustments, and those adjustments are all going to be experiences that he can log in the bank.”

Anyone else that has really impressed you or stood out to you?

“Happ and Nico are my two favorites, obviously playing here with them. I love them. I can’t say enough good things about them. I really like Michael Busch and everything he brings to the team. He’s very consistent. He’s getting an opportunity this year against lefties, and I feel like maybe his numbers aren’t popping off the charts, but his at-bats are quality at-bats every single time he’s up there. He’s a threat every single time he’s up there, so I really enjoy watching him play.”

Obviously, ten years out from the World Series crown. You’ve been doing a lot of things to recognize that. But just curious, the further you get from that moment, is there something you find yourself reflecting on more than you thought, or just things that stand out more now that were ten years out?

“Just how fast 10 years goes, honestly. It feels like it was three years ago. You just enjoy it. You enjoy the moment you’re in. That’s what I tried to do as a player, that’s why I try to do as a person in life. The camaraderie of that team was real back then; it’s still real now. When we got together in January, it was like time didn’t even pass. That’s how special that team was. We love talking about it. We love re-living it. It was such a special moment in the city of Chicago, but honestly in all of sports. That championship is a lot bigger than most.”

Last thing – this is kind of a random one. Do you know the total number of pitchers you threw during your MLB career?

“That’s a good question. I’m going to go with, 32.”

Good guess. It was actually less than that. It was 17.

“I mean, best ERA – 0.00 ERA, so I had to be efficient!”

That was going to be my next question, do you remember your ERA. So, of course, you have to remember your one strikeout?

“Yeah, of course, of course.”

And do you remind him of that frequently?

“Umm, no. He got the one up in beating me in the World Series in 2024,” Rizzo laughed.

So that one doesn’t work anymore?

“No, no it doesn’t,” Rizzo laughed again.

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