CHICAGO — A trip back to Wrigley Field turned into an unexpected moment for former Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo on Saturday, when he found himself retrieving a home run ball in the right-field bleachers hit by current Cubs first baseman Michael Busch.
Busch’s solo shot off Minnesota in the first inning was his 12th homer of the season. Rizzo didn’t snag it out of the air, but after the ball bounced off the concrete, he reached back, picked it up, and raised it above his head while a young boy sat on his shoulder.
Rizzo was at the ballpark as part of a pregame ceremony honoring the 10th anniversary of the Cubs’ 2016 World Series title. The festivities included the unveiling of a 31-foot-wide arching structure called the “Champions Gate” on the west side of Wrigley Field.
A three-time All-Star, Rizzo spent 10 of his 14 major league seasons with Chicago. During the 2016 regular season, he batted .292 with 32 home runs and 109 RBIs, then added three homers and 10 RBIs during the postseason as the Cubs broke a 108-year championship drought.
Team owner Tom Ricketts, former manager Joe Maddon, and Rizzo each addressed the crowd during the ceremony, which also featured around 20 players from that championship squad. Maddon and the players later returned to the field, where pitcher Kyle Hendricks threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
