AP Photo/Paul Beaty
- Slugger Anthony Rizzo was traded from the Chicago Cubs to the New York Yankees on Thursday night.
- Rizzo and his family stayed at Wrigley Field after the Cubs' game and took photos.
- Rizzo was one of the leaders of the Cubs team that broke their World Series curse in 2016.
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Cubs slugger Anthony Rizzo is heading to the New York Yankees.
After 10 seasons with the Chicago Cubs, Rizzo was traded in a deadline deal on Thursday in exchange for two prospects – pitcher Alexander Vizcaino and outfielder Kevin Alcantara.
For Rizzo, it's a monumental change. He's spent nearly the entirety of his major league career with the Cubs. However, with Chicago 11.5 games out of the NL Central lead, the Cubs decided to move on.
On the field, it looked as though Rizzo wasn't ready for his time at Wrigley to end.
After the Cubs' loss to the Reds on Thursday, Rizzo and his family came back out to the field to take in the iconic ivy one last time.
-Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) July 29, 2021
-Andy Martínez (@amartinez_11) July 29, 2021
When Rizzo and his family finally made their way out of the stadium, Cubs fans had gathered to wish him well in New York.
-Andy Martínez (@amartinez_11) July 30, 2021
Later on Thursday, the Cubs posted a farewell video of their own, thanking Rizzo for his time at the club.
-Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 30, 2021
The Cubs will forever love Rizzo for what he brought to the team. A three-time All-Star, Rizzo was the centerpiece of the Cubs' batting order for the better part of a decade and was a crucial leader in the team's 2016 run at the World Series.
In that World Series, the Cubs trailed Cleveland three games to one but rallied to win three straight to take the World Series for the first time in more than a century, breaking the curse to bring Chicago a championship.
In Game 7, Rizzo was at first base to make the final out of the game, securing the title.
With the Yankees, Rizzo will have the chance to fight for the postseason this year and beyond. But no matter what amazing plays he makes there, it would be impossible to match the history he was a part of in Chicago.