Anthony Rizzo has been one of the best all-around first baseman in baseball for the past handful of years but hasn’t come close to winning an NL MVP Award. Maybe this is the year. Here are two props available to wager at Mybookie on Rizzo’s and the Cubs’ 2020 MLB season – assuming there is one – and an overview.
Anthony Rizzo Awards Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season
- NL MVP Award: Rizzo is +5500 long shot
- Odds to win NL Central: Cubs are +225 co-favorites
was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2007 MLB draft and became a top minor league prospect in the Red Sox organization. He was traded to the San Diego Padres after the 2010 season along with three other prospects in exchange for All-Star first baseman Adrián González. On January 6, 2012, the Padres traded Rizzo and right-handed starting pitcher Zach Cates to the Cubs in exchange for right-handed starting pitcher Andrew Cashner and outfielder Kyung-Min Na.
That turned out to be one of the best trades the Cubs have ever made. The deal was negotiated by Jed Hoyer, the Cubs’ general manager. Hoyer had also drafted Rizzo while working as an assistant GM for the Red Sox, and later acquired Rizzo while he was the Padres’ general manager.
Likely Rizzo’s biggest claim to fame as a Cub came in 2016. In that year’s World Series, Rizzo scored 7 runs and had 5 RBIs, and helped the Cubs win their first World Series title since 1908. He caught the final out against the Indians on a throw from Kris Bryant. Instead of keeping that ball, which would have been worth a fortune (reports are at least $3 million), he gave it to owner Tom Ricketts. Rizzo explained his reasoning for giving the ball to Ricketts as “a victory for all of us.”
Last season, Rizzo hit .293/.405/.520 with 27 home runs and 94 RBIs. He led the major leagues in times hit by a pitch with 27. He had a career-high .405 on-base percentage that was third-best in the N.L. Moreover, his .924 OPS was just four points shy of his career-best .928 OPS done in 2016
became just the second Cubs left-handed hitter to record at least five 25-homer, 90-RBI campaigns, joining Billy Williams (eight times). Just other Cubs left-handed hitters even have one 25-homer, 90-RBI season: Bill Nicholson (four), George Altman (one), Fred McGriff (one) and Kyle Schwarber (one).
Since the start of the 2016 campaign, the three-time All-Star has struck out just 364 times while drawing 306 base-on-balls. Rizzo adapts his approach to the situation at hand. Last season, with two strikes, he slashed .240/.320/.362.
also won his third career Gold Glove Award. Rizzo collected three Defensive Runs Saved at first in 146 games, posting a .996 fielding percentage that was tied for first among qualified NL first basemen. His 2.9 Ultimate Zone Rating/150 led the NL, and Rizzo ranked second with 123 assists. Rizzo, who also took home NL Gold Gloves at first in 2016 and ’18, said he takes the most pride in bailing out the other players around the infield for the Cubs.
“[When] they make a really nice diving play,” Rizzo said, “and they get up and throw the ball into the dirt, or high or wide, and I make that play for them, that’s by far … what I pride myself on.”
is expected to primarily hit second this year for the Cubs. That comes on the heels of an announcement from new manager David Ross that Kris Bryant would hit leadoff.
hugely undervalued contract is up after the 2021 season. The Cubs have expressed no interest in working out a contract extension as of yet. Rizzo will play on an already-exercised $16.5 million club option in 2020 and he carries another $16.5 million club option for the 2021 campaign.
