This could be the end of the line for beloved former Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo

Last summer, Anthony Rizzo made his first return to Wrigley Field since the Chicago Cubs traded him to the New York Yankees at the 2021 trade deadline in an emotional spectacle that drew tens of thousands of emotional fans to the Friendly Confines that weekend,..

At the time, nobody was thinking the end of Rizzo's career was at hand. It was simply a chance to appreciate and recognize his decade of efforts and accomplishments on the North Side. A World Series championship, one Silver Slugger, three All-Star selections, four Gold Gloves and a Platinum Glove.

But with spring training games underway in both Florida and Arizona, Rizzo remains unsigned - and the prospect that might not change is becoming more real by the day.

“I’ve definitely thought about it. I think I have a lot to give to the game still ... But at the same time, if teams are not going to want to pay a few million dollars for veterans, I’ve seen it the last 10 years of my career. It’s what happens to the older guys. They kind of get squeezed. You’ve seen it happen more and more. I’m not naive to it. It could be it.”

Anthony Rizzo may be pushed into retirement sooner than anticipated

Rizzo isn't going to play for a league minimum deal - that seems clear. It's hard to imagine no team being willing to give him a few million bucks to shore up their first base depth. To be clear, this isn't a petition for the Cubs to sign him. There's no roster fit there, especially after the signing of veteran corner infielder Justin Turner. But back-to-back years of semi-freak injuries seem to have Rizzo on the outside looking in - and that's an unthinkable way for his career to come to a close.

“I want to play. I want to win. And I love talking the game with pitchers, with hitters. There’s so much to dive into. Everything that goes into it, on the field, off the field, I’ll still be talking about it with guys. We’ll just see if I continue playing.”

If this is the end, it's been an incredible journey. Nearly 10 years after he helped erase more than a century of disappointment in Chicago, he's got nothing to hang his head about. But it's clear he wants to keep the ride going, if just for one more year.