Chicago Cubs: What’s with the sudden influx of position players on the hill?

Chicago Cubs: Meet the man who can do it all

As Caratini finished his second career relief appearance with a scoreless inning, Anthony Rizzo toed the rubber in preparation for his first career pitching appearance. The mantra of enjoying oneself in a lopsided game rang true, especially for Rizzo, as he was all smiles.

Rizzo recorded one out, a fly ball from A.J. Pollock after a two-pitch at-bat. For a moment, the world stopped, and every Cubs fan in the grandstands and bleachers around Wrigley took in, and seemingly enjoyed, the momentous appearance of Rizzo pitching in a game which counted.

As Rizzo has made an incredible mark when tasked with leading off, creating the ‘joke’ among many is that Rizzo is the greatest leadoff hitter of all time. After not allowing a run to score, Rizzo will retire from his pitching career with a spotless earned run average. Now, he assumes the mantle of greatest relief pitcher of all-time.

Rizzo posted some interesting pitch speeds, picking up the velocity between the first pitch and the second pitch by almost thirty miles per hour. It was his first time pitching in a baseball game since his last high school game.