Anthony Rizzo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anthony Rizzo |
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Rizzo with the Chicago Cubs in 2016
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| Free agent | |||
| First baseman | |||
| Born: August 8, 1989 Parkland, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 9, 2011, for the San Diego Padres | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) |
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| Batting average | .261 | ||
| Hits | 1,644 | ||
| Home runs | 303 | ||
| Runs batted in | 965 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Anthony Vincent Rizzo (born August 8, 1989) is a famous American professional baseball player. He plays as a first baseman. He has played for big teams like the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, and New York Yankees in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Rizzo was picked by the Boston Red Sox in the 2007 MLB draft. He was a top young player in their system. Later, he was traded to the Padres. He made his MLB debut in 2011. After moving to the Cubs in 2012, he became a star. He played in the All-Star Game three times in a row.
Anthony Rizzo has won many awards. These include the Silver Slugger Award, Gold Glove Award, and Roberto Clemente Award. He also helped the Cubs win the World Series in 2016. In 2021, he was traded to the Yankees. He is also known for his charity work.
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Anthony Rizzo's Baseball Journey
Starting with the Boston Red Sox
Anthony Rizzo was chosen by the Red Sox in the 2007 MLB draft. He was a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. He planned to go to college, but he signed with the Red Sox instead. He got a $325,000 bonus.
Rizzo played for several Red Sox minor league teams. These included the Gulf Coast League Red Sox and the Portland Sea Dogs. In 2007, at age 17, he started his minor league career. He hit well, with one home run and three RBIs in 21 tries. In 2010, he hit 25 home runs and had 100 RBIs. He learned to use his legs more for power.
Playing for the San Diego Padres
In December 2010, Rizzo was traded to the Padres. He was part of a big trade for star player Adrián González. Many people thought Rizzo would be a great player. His old manager said Rizzo reminded him of González.
Rizzo started the 2011 season in Triple-A. He played for the Tucson Padres. He hit very well, with 16 home runs and 63 RBIs in 52 games. The Padres called him up to the major leagues in June 2011. This was a big moment for the team.
In his first MLB game, he hit a triple and scored a run. He hit his first home run a few days later. However, he struggled after that. He was sent back to Triple-A in July. He finished the season hitting only .141. Even so, the Padres believed he would be their main first baseman in 2012.
Becoming a Star with the Chicago Cubs
In January 2012, the Padres traded Rizzo to the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs' general manager, Jed Hoyer, had worked with Rizzo before. He believed in Rizzo's talent.
2012: A Strong Start in Chicago
Rizzo started 2012 in Triple-A again. He played for the Iowa Cubs. He hit .342 with 23 home runs. The Cubs called him up in June. He quickly made a big impact. He was the first Cubs player to have three game-winning RBIs in his first five games.
In July, he hit seven home runs. This was the most by a Cubs rookie in a month since 1983. He led all National League rookies in home runs, hits, and RBIs that month. He was named the NL Rookie of the Month.
2013: Signing a Big Contract
In May 2013, Rizzo signed a seven-year contract. It was worth $41 million. He was a finalist for the Heart and Hustle Award. He was also a finalist for the Roberto Clemente Award. Rizzo finished second for the Gold Glove award for first basemen. He hit 23 home runs and 40 doubles.
2014: First All-Star Game
Rizzo had a great year in 2014. He hit his second career walk-off home run in June. Fans voted him into the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He joined his teammate Starlin Castro there. In July, he won his first Player of the Week award.
He also received the Branch Rickey Award. This award is for being a good role model for young people. Rizzo finished the season with 32 home runs. He was hit by a pitch 15 times, leading the league.
2015: Another All-Star Season
Rizzo was chosen for the 2015 All-Star Team by other players. This was his second time. He also took part in the 2015 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby. He hit his 100th career home run in September.
He was hit by a pitch 30 times in 2015. This led all of MLB. He finished the season with a .278 batting average. He had 31 home runs and 101 RBIs. He won the MLBPAA Heart and Hustle Award. This award is for players who love the game and play with spirit.
2016: World Series Champion
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Rizzo started as the first baseman in the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He got the most fan votes in the National League. He became one of only three Cubs players to hit over 40 doubles and 30 home runs in one year. He played in 155 games. He had 170 hits, 43 doubles, and 32 home runs. He also had 109 RBIs. His batting average was .292.
Rizzo won his first Gold Glove Award for his excellent defense. After a slow start in the playoffs, he played a key role in the Cubs' wins. He helped them reach their first World Series since 1945. In the 2016 World Series, Rizzo scored 7 runs and had 5 RBIs. He helped the Cubs win their first World Series title since 1908! He also won awards for "Best Social Media Personality" and "Best Play: Defense." He won the Silver Slugger Award for his hitting.
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2017: Leading Off and Clemente Award
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In June, Rizzo started batting first in some games. This was unusual for a power hitter. He did very well, hitting 4 home runs in seven games. He became the first player in over 50 years to reach base safely to start the first inning in his first seven games as a leadoff hitter.
He finished the season with 32 home runs and 109 RBIs. He led the league in being hit by a pitch, with 24. In October, Rizzo received the Roberto Clemente Award. This award honors players who do great charity work. Rizzo's charity helps find a cure for childhood cancer. He said it was "the greatest award you can win."
2018-2020: More Gold Gloves
In April 2018, Rizzo was on the injured list for the first time due to a back issue. He finished the 2018 season hitting .283 with 25 home runs and 101 RBIs. He won his second Gold Glove Award.
In 2019, Rizzo hit .293 with 27 home runs and 94 RBIs. He was hit by a pitch 27 times, leading the major leagues. He also received his third career Gold Glove Award. In the shortened 2020 season, Rizzo played in 58 games. He hit 11 home runs and had 24 RBIs. He won his fourth Gold Glove Award, his third in a row.
2021: Leaving the Cubs
In 92 games for the Cubs in 2021, Rizzo hit 14 home runs and had 40 RBIs. He even pitched in one game, getting two outs.
Joining the New York Yankees
2021: Instant Impact
On July 29, 2021, Rizzo was traded to the New York Yankees. He made an immediate impact. In his first two games, he went 4 for 5 with two home runs. He was the first Yankees player to get on base eight times in his first two games. He also became the first Yankees player to get an RBI in his first six games with the team. On September 30, Rizzo hit his 250th career home run.
2022: Opting Out
In March 2022, the Yankees signed Rizzo to a two-year, $32 million contract. He hit a home run in each of the first two games of the season. On April 26, Rizzo hit three home runs in one game against the Baltimore Orioles. After the 2022 season, he chose to end his contract early and became a free agent.
2023: Injury Struggles
Rizzo signed a new two-year, $40 million contract with the Yankees in November 2022. In May 2023, he was injured during a play. He left the game with a neck injury. Before this, he was hitting very well. But after the injury, his hitting struggled a lot. In August, the Yankees put him on the injured list. Doctors believed his injury was a post-concussion syndrome. He did not play for the rest of 2023.
2024: More Injuries
Rizzo started 2024 as the Yankees' main first baseman. He played 70 games, hitting eight home runs. In June, he broke his arm in a collision with a pitcher. He was out for a long time but came back in September. Later that month, he broke fingers on his right hand after being hit by a pitch. This injury kept him out of some playoff games. After the season, the Yankees decided not to keep him for 2025, making him a free agent.
Playing for Team Italy
Rizzo's family comes from a town in Sicily, Italy. Because of this, he chose to play for the Italy national baseball team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. This was before the 2013 MLB season began.
Anthony Rizzo's Personal Life
Anthony Rizzo has an older brother named John. John played football for Florida Atlantic University.
In April 2008, Rizzo was diagnosed with a type of cancer called Hodgkin lymphoma. He went through chemotherapy for six months. His grandmother was also fighting cancer at the same time. In September 2008, his doctor told him his cancer was gone. In November, his doctor said he could "live a normal life."
Rizzo asked his girlfriend, Emily Vakos, to marry him in June 2017. They met during spring training in 2016. They got married on December 29, 2018. His teammate Kris Bryant was one of the groomsmen. In 2020, they adopted a dog named Kevin. They live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Anthony Rizzo's Charity Work
In 2012, the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation was started. This foundation helps with cancer research. It also helps families who are fighting the disease. Rizzo's family and friends run the foundation. Rizzo helps with ideas and leadership. In 2017, the foundation gave $3.5 million to the Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. This brought their total donations to over $4 million.
On February 15, 2018, Rizzo gave a very emotional speech. This was at a vigil for the victims of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. Rizzo went to that high school and grew up in Parkland. He met with survivors of the shooting. He helped donate $305,000 to a fund for the victims and their families.
The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation holds many events. These include "Cook-Off For Cancer" and "Walk-Off for Cancer." These events raise a lot of money. In 2015, a Cook-Off raised over $270,000. A Walk-Off in 2016 raised over $500,000. Broward County even named a day "Anthony Rizzo Day." His old high school retired his jersey number, 7.
In 2017, a Walk-Off raised $960,000. This money helped Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital and other cancer centers. In 2018, the Walk-Off raised $1.1 million. In 2019, a Cook-Off raised $1.8 million. Another Walk-Off in 2019 raised over $1.35 million. In 2020, a "Laugh-Off for Cancer" raised almost $500,000. Rizzo also donated $150,000 to his high school in 2020. This helped pay for lights on their baseball and softball fields. The school even named the new baseball field "Anthony Rizzo Field."
See also
In Spanish: Anthony Rizzo para niños
