Cubs reveal beloved ex player returning to Wrigley Field for Opening Day festivities

Opening Day is right around the corner, with the Chicago Cubs preparing to square off against the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field on March 26.

While the team still needs to make some final roster tweaks to get the 26-man group ready for the regular season, Cubs fans can expect to welcome back one franchise legend no matter what happens: Anthony Rizzo.

We don't know exactly in what capacity Rizzo will be participating in the Opening Day fun, but it won't be as a broadcaster. His new gig with NBC Sports includes pre-game coverage, but Marquee is the network carrying the game.

As a fan and team ambassador, Rizzo should still make the game a more enjoyable time. If it's anything like his return to Wrigley last year — when Moises Ballesteros ripped an opposite-field home run right at him in the bleachers — expect Opening Day to feel like a playoff atmosphere on the North Side.

Anthony Rizzo should make Cubs' 2026 home opener all the more special

It's been a while since Rizzo officially retired as a Cub, so there's not much use in rehashing all of the legendary moments he was a part of while he represented the 2016 champions. By this point, every fan has their own memorized catalogue of No. 44 highlights.

Instead, it's worth noting that, unlike the loss they suffered to the Tampa Bay Rays last September in Rizzo's return, the Cubs are well-positioned to rock the house this time around. The Nationals have been one of the worst squads in Major League Baseball over the past few seasons, accruing 90+ losses in every campaign since 2021.

They just tabbed Cade Cavalli as their Opening Day starter, a former first-round pick with a career 5.09 ERA in the major leagues. And in case that matchup wasn't juicy enough, former St. Louis Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas is also slated to take the bump during the series. We all know what happened last time he took a start at Wrigley.

Opening the campaign with a win in their back pocket would be a nice change of pace from the last few years — the team hasn't begun a season 1-0 since 2023, when they shut out the Milwaukee Brewers.

With Rizzo in attendance, the crowd should be absolutely buzzing. Hopefully, the team will feed off that energy and start 2026 off with a bang.