Anthony Rizzo drops chance to catch Cubs rookie’s first homer while celebrating retirement
Former Cubs first baseman sat in the bleachers during a Wrigley Field ceremony when Moises Ballesteros hit his first career home run into Rizzo’s area
Anthony Rizzo was sitting in the Wrigley Field bleachers as part of his retirement weekend when he nearly became part of a Cubs rookie’s highlight, only to see the ball bounce away.
In the second inning of Chicago’s 5-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, rookie Moises Ballesteros hit his first career home run into the left-center stands where Rizzo, 36, had taken a seat. Rizzo stood and waved to clear fans from around the path with the apparent intention of making the catch, but the ball ricocheted off his hand and dropped to fans behind him before it was retrieved and the crowd cheered.
Rizzo had told reporters before the game that he planned to spend part of the afternoon in the bleachers after pregame retirement festivities, saying, “I’m gonna sit in the bleachers. I’m gonna eat a hot dog. I’m gonna drink some adult beverages.” He added, jokingly, “Are we allowed to do the beer snake? Because I will be the rally starter for the beer snake.” On Saturday he threw out the ceremonial first pitch while the Cubs showed a montage of the three-time All-Star’s moments in Chicago.
Rizzo, who officially announced his retirement from Major League Baseball earlier in the week, spent the bulk of his career with the Cubs. He played 10 seasons in Chicago and posted a .272/.372/.489 slash line during his tenure there, earned four Gold Glove awards and was a key member of the 2016 World Series championship team. He later spent four seasons with the New York Yankees before injuries — including a broken arm last year — limited his opportunities.
“The last couple years I was banged up a little bit, but last year after breaking my arm I told my parents, I told my wife, ‘hey, enjoy this ride,’” Rizzo said. “So it was in the back of my mind a little bit. … When it didn’t really pick up, and the right opportunities didn’t arise … it was kind of decided early on that if I didn’t get the right opportunity, it was probably going to be it, and I couldn’t be happier.”
Rizzo reflected on the long-term impact of the 2016 title and on the connection he maintained with Cubs fans after his departure. “When we won, that global impact we had on a fan base on generations of Cubs fans, is still lasting,” he said. “We’re almost going on 10 years and anywhere we go, you hear stories. I thought the coolest thing getting traded (in 2021) was that first year every single stadium I went to, there was so many Cubs fans in my jersey coming to see me as a Yankee, and I’ll never forget that.”
Moises Ballesteros’ homer stood out as a milestone for the rookie in a close game that ultimately ended in a one-run loss for Chicago. Rizzo’s decision to sit among fans was part celebration and part farewell: the club honored him with on-field ceremonies and a highlight reel before the game, and he joined spectators in the bleachers to cap a weekend that formally acknowledged the end of his playing career in Chicago.
Rizzo’s career in Chicago spanned a decade and included three All-Star selections while he became a familiar presence around the league. After Saturday’s ceremonies and the playful moment with Ballesteros’ home run, Rizzo leaves the game with multiple awards, a World Series ring and a legacy tied closely to the Cubs’ resurgence in the 2010s.
The Cubs continue their season in Chicago, while Tampa Bay left with a narrow win that included the unexpected souvenir tossed back into the stands and the brief, good-natured commotion surrounding a retiring player’s last home-day festivities.