Anthony Rizzo did a lot of reminiscing, chatting it up on the field before his first Yankees-Red Sox game at Fenway Park on Friday night. The outgoing first baseman was thrilled to catch up with one of baseball’s highest-ranking women. Back in the day, Rizzo was a Red Sox prospect who often interacted with Red Sox assistant general manager Raquel Ferreira.
“She was like a mom to me when I first got drafted,” Rizzo said.
On Friday night, Mom might’ve been cursing herself for how well she raised him. The Yankees landed punches early and often in an 8-3 victory that left them just a game behind Boston for the first AL Wild Card spot, with eight games to play.
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Before going 2-for-5, Rizzo also hung out with buddy Kyle Schwarber, who now does his slugging for the Red Sox. They were teammates for six seasons, including 2016, when the Chicago Cubs brought home their first World Series title in more than 100 years. Rizzo was an NL All-Star for the third time and won the first of four Gold Gloves.
They were separated last December when Schwarber signed with the Washington Nationals, then suddenly found themselves on opposite sides of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry this summer when their clubs gave up on the season. The day before the July 30 trade deadline, Schwarber was traded to the Red Sox; Rizzo went from the Cubs to the Yankees.
“Talking to Kyle … this game goes by fast and the good times go by fast, so it’s all about enjoying them,” Rizzo said. “Him being here with the Red Sox, myself personally getting drafted here, the memories I have here …”
Rizzo soaked it all in, then put on his game face for an important game. He’d played in a ton of them for the Cubs, so he learned long ago how to be at his best when a lot is on the line.
“You’re just playing baseball and you try to keep it as simple as that,” Rizzo said. “There’s going to be moments where you get punched in the face and you’ve just got to bounce back and not have that one moment define the whole game. It’s just staying in that moment at all times and not looking ahead just because we jumped out to a 3-0 lead. There’s a lot of baseball to be played.”
Rizzo helped set the table during the Yankees’ three-run first inning on Friday night with a single that followed DJ LeMahieu’s leadoff hit. He then ignited a four-run third that make it a 7-0 with a leadoff, opposite-field double off the Green Monster, both hits coming off Red Sox All-Star righty Nathan Eovaldi.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone was a fan of Rizzo the man and Rizzo the player before they joined forces. His appreciation has grown during their two months together.
“He’s a pro,” Boone said. “He’s a winner, He’s a really good two-way player. I think there’s a light-heartedness that he brings to the field each and every day that makes it fun for guys to be around him while also having those winning and tangible things that he brings each and every day. He’s been a great addition.”
Right off the bat, Rizzo was an impact player for the Yankees. In his first three games, he had five hits, including two homers, during a sweep in Miami. A week later, the Yankees’ new first baseman tested positive for COVID. After missing 10 games, Rizzo’s first game back was his first Yankees-Red Sox game, a win at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 18. His production cooled dramatically after that, but he’s heated up again the past week, batting. 400 in his last six games.
“I was bummed when he was the COVID IL because he was really rolling at the time,” Boone said. “That was a couple-weeks setback for him and I think it took him a minute to get going again. But I’m glad he’s on our side and I’m looking forward to seeing what he’s going to do for us here in these final games.”
Rizzo wasn’t totally satisfied with his play on Friday night because Schwarber rocketed a one-on, one-out grounder in the Red Sox sixth that zipped by him for a hit. Two batters later, Rafael Devers gave the Red Sox life with a three-run homer off Gerrit Cole to make it 7-3.
Rizzo wishes he had another shot at making a backhand grab of Schwarber’s hot smash.
“You’re competitors,” Rizzo said. “I’m always rooting for him no matter what. I’m sure it’s vice versa. But when the game starts, he’s trying to make diving plays on me, I’m trying to make plays on him, and one got by me down the line I should have had. I’m surprised he hasn’t texted me saying, ‘Thanks for the knock!’ But it’s always fun when you play against your old friends.”
It’s always fun beating them, too, and Rizzo’s Yankees came out on top in this one.
Rizzo was a major contributor, too, but he’s only been good, not great, as a Yankee, hitting .259 with six homers, 18 RBI and some standout defense in 41 games. For the season, he’s hitting .248 with 14 homers and 40 RBI in 132 games, numbers that dwarf his Cubs’ heyday when he averaged 29 and 96 from 2013-19.
What happens between now and the end of the season likely will factor in how hard the Yankees try to re-sign Rizzo, who is 32 and headed for free agency this winter. With the Yankees in the market for one of the big-money shortstops that will be available, Rizzo might be too expensive. He reportedly turned down a five-year, $70-million extension from the Cubs last spring.
The rumor mill predicts Rizzo will sign with the Red Sox, his former organization but never his team. He was drafted by Boston in the sixth round in 2007 and in the Red Sox’s system through 2010. Before reaching Triple-A, Rizzo was traded to the Padres in a December 2010 deal that sent star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to Boston. He made his debut in the majors with the Padres in 2011 and was traded in January 2012 to the Cubs. And now Rizzo is a Yankee hoping for the second championship ring of his career.
The only future that matters now to Rizzo is the rest of the season, which begins with two more games at Fenway.
“I’m just excited for this atmosphere,” Rizzo said. “The fans here are very passionate.”
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Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com.
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