Chicago Cubs: Top five clutch hitters in their history

Chicago Cubs: Anthony Rizzo, 2012-Present

Looking back we will look back on the all-time greatest Cubs in history, and Anthony Rizzo will be atop that list. Following the trade by the San Diego Padres in 2012, Rizzo quickly encompassed the mentality of Chicago and has been a staple ever since.

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Rizzo is a career .276/.376/.495 hitter for the Cubs, carrying a whopping .372 wOBA and 134 wRC+. When looking into his ‘high-leverage’ hitting, Rizzo has a slash line of .295/.394/.524 with a .382 wOBA and 140 wRC+.

When you think about clutch moments, there are two that come to mind — first, his home run off Clayton Kershaw in Game 6 of the 2016 NLCS. Up three games to two and staked to a 4-0 lead, Rizzo took Kershaw deep in the bottom of the fifth inning, propelling the Cubs to their final tally of the night on their way to the Pennant.

The following year, in a clash with the Washington Nationals Rizzo, delivered once again. In the eighth inning of Game 3 of the NLDS, with the scored tied at one, Rizzo faced Oliver Perez. Instead of walking Rizzo, Perez pitched to him, and Rizzo blooped a single to score what would be the game-winning run on Chicago’s path to a third straight NLCS.