NEW YORK — Ex-Yankees star Anthony Rizzo announced his retirement in September. The Cubs honored him at Wrigley Field. He threw out the first pitch. He accepted an ambassador role. Everyone assumed his playing days were finished.
Everyone might have been wrong.
The 36-year-old former Yankees first baseman has received an invitation that could put him back on a baseball diamond. The three-time All-Star has not made his decision yet but considering the offer.
Rizzo gets the offer to play
Bruce Levine of 670 The Score broke the news. Ned Colletti, the general manager of Team Italy for the upcoming WBC, personally reached out to Rizzo about joining the squad.
“On WSCR’s Inside the Clubhouse, GM of the WBC team Italy Ned Colletti said that he asked former Cub Anthony Rizzo to participate on team Italy this spring,” Levine shared on social media. “Rizzo is still deciding.”
Colletti brings serious credentials to the role. He served as general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2006 to 2014. He worked with the Cubs and Giants before that. His four decades of experience in Major League Baseball made him an ideal choice to lead Italy’s WBC efforts.
Francisco Cervelli will manage the team. The former Yankees catcher represented Italy in both the 2009 and 2017 World Baseball Classics.
Rizzo’s Italian heritage runs deep
This would not be Rizzo’s first time wearing Italy’s colors. He played for Team Italy in the 2013 WBC. He batted third in the lineup. He helped the squad reach the second round for the first time in the country’s history.
His family roots trace back to Ciminna, Sicily. The connection to his heritage has always meant something to him. A return in 2026 would give him one more chance to honor that legacy.
Team Italy will compete in Pool B at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. They will face the United States, Mexico, and Great Britain. Games begin March 7, 2026.
A career that spanned 14 seasons
Rizzo spent 14 years in the majors. He collected 1,644 hits. He smashed 303 home runs. He drove in 965 runs while posting a .261 batting average and .361 on-base percentage.
The Cubs acquired him in January 2012. He became the face of their franchise. He led them to their first World Series title in 108 years in 2016. He caught the final out that ended baseball’s longest championship drought.
His resume includes three All-Star selections, four Gold Glove Awards, and one Silver Slugger. He won the Roberto Clemente Award in 2017 for combining strong play with community service. He is also a cancer survivor who beat Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2008.
The final years in pinstripes
The Yankees traded for Rizzo in July 2021. He made an immediate impact. He homered in each of his first two games with the club. He became just the seventh Yankee ever to accomplish that feat.
His best season in the Bronx came in 2022. He belted 32 home runs. He posted an .817 OPS. Those 32 homers marked a career high for the left-handed slugger.
Injuries derailed his final two seasons. A collision with Fernando Tatis Jr. in May 2023 caused concussion issues that ended his year early. In 2024, he suffered a broken arm and later fractured multiple fingers. He managed just 92 games.
The Yankees declined his $17 million option after the 2024 World Series loss. They paid him a $6 million buyout instead. They signed Paul Goldschmidt and eventually saw Jazz Chisholm emerge as a star alongside Aaron Judge in the lineup.
Why he retired when he did
Rizzo entered the 2025 season hoping to continue his career. He told The Athletic in February that he was fully healthy. He remained eager to play. No team showed significant interest.
He refused to settle for a minimum salary contract. He did not want to ruin the market for veteran players who came after him. The offers never improved. The phone stopped ringing.
On September 10, 2025, he announced his retirement. The Cubs welcomed him back for a ceremony at Wrigley Field. He threw out the ceremonial first pitch before a game against the Tampa Bay Rays. He joined the organization as a team ambassador.
What a WBC return would mean
The World Baseball Classic offers something different than a Major League contract. It represents a chance to compete one more time. It carries no long-term commitment. It allows Rizzo to play for a cause that connects to his family history.
Team Italy could use his experience. They could use his leadership. They could use his left-handed bat in a tournament that brings together the best players on the planet.
Yankees fans remember him fondly. Cubs fans consider him an icon. Both fan bases would love to see him take one more swing. The invitation sits on his desk. The decision rests with him alone.
The clock is ticking on his answer
Spring training camps open in February. The WBC begins in early March. Rizzo does not have unlimited time to make up his mind.
Colletti and Cervelli are building a roster. They want to know if Rizzo will be part of it. The tournament format demands quick decisions and committed players.
A year ago, nobody expected Anthony Rizzo to play professional baseball again. Now he has a chance to do exactly that. The question is whether the competitor inside him can resist one final opportunity to represent his roots on the biggest international stage in the sport.
Rizzo is still deciding. The baseball world is watching. And Team Italy is waiting for an answer.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
