Anthony Rizzo caught the final out of the 2016 World Series.
That moment will put him forever at the front of Chicago Cubs lore. His arms lifted to the air, joy on his face, captured the end of a 108-year Cubs drought.
Rizzo is a legend in Cubs history for much more than that. He was one of the best players of that incredible era of baseball that returned the Cubbies to the forefront of the sport.
These days, Rizzo has done some television work for NBC’s baseball broadcasts, but he’s also simply a fan of the sport.
And in Chicago in October, there aren’t any Cubs games for Rizzo to go and watch.
There are the White Sox, though — and they hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five ALDS against the Cleveland Guardians. If Chicago wins on Wednesday, the White Sox will advance to the ALCS.
Rizzo is going to be there.
Anthony Rizzo News
Anthony Rizzo is going to be at the White Sox playoff game on Wednesday.
Game 3 of the ALDS will feature both Rizzo and his son in the ballpark to see what the White Sox can do.
“We’ll be enjoying playoff baseball,” Rizzo told WGN’s Michele Steele. “… This White Sox team is an easy team to root for, seems like they’re a band of brothers.”
It’s the only Chicago baseball team left for Rizzo to root for at the moment.
Both made it into the playoffs as Wild Card teams in their respective leagues.
The Cubs went to San Diego for two games and lost both to get knocked out by the Padres.
The White Sox went to Houston for two games and won both to eliminate the Astros and move on — and they then won the first two games of this series on the road in Cleveland.
They finally get to come home for the first time in these playoffs, and it’s quite the story.
The White Sox lost at least 100 games in each of the past three seasons, including a ghastly 41-121 record in 2024.
The fact that they’re in the playoffs at all is remarkable, and the fact that they’re winning is even more impressive.
Anthony Rizzo’s Cleveland Connection
Of course, Rizzo’s presence won’t be loved by Cleveland fans on Wednesday.
It was the then-Indians who lost to the Cubs in that 2016 World Series. And while Cleveland’s World Series drought isn’t as long, they haven’t won since 1948, so it’s been a painful wait there, too.
The Guardians need more to go their way than just some good or bad vibes from Rizzo, though, so that won’t be much of a concern to them. If they don’t hit, they won’t save their season.
Rizzo will be watching, a Cubs legend rooting on the White Sox in the city of Chicago.
Cubs Legend Anthony Rizzo Makes White Sox Announcement