CHICAGO — A fixture in the Chicago Cubs roster for the past decade is moving to the Big Apple.
(Note: The video above this story is from Nov. 2016.)
The Cubs announced Thursday evening they traded first baseman Anthony Rizzo to the New York Yankees for a pair of minor leaguers. In return, Chicago will receive pitcher Alexander Vizcaíno and outfielder Kevin Alcántara.
The Cubs are also sending cash to New York to complete the deal.
The swap came a day before the Major League Baseball trade deadline, and was the Yankees’ second major move this week. Earlier in the day, they announced they had gotten All-Star slugger Joey Gallo from Texas.
Rizzo is batting .248 with 14 home runs and 40 RBIs this season.
The 31-year-old had been a fixture at Wrigley Field for a decade, and helped the Cubs break their long World Series drought with a championship in 2016. Rizzo batted .360 with a homerun and five RBI as Chicago beat Cleveland in seven games to win the franchise's first title in 108 years.
Rizzo and Kris Bryant, another star reported to be on the trading block, both had the day off Thursday as the Cubs lost to the Reds, 7-4.
Before departing Wrigley Field, reporters watched as Rizzo and his family walked through the iconic stadium on Chicago's north side for some final photographs.
"Some good memories here. My whole life I grew up here. But all good things come to an end. It's going to be a tough second half here, which a lot of here aren't used to in a long time," Rizzo told reporters. "To be able to go to another historic franchise like the Yankees, it's unbelievable."
