Anthony Rizzo Says There Is A Reason Why All Three Superstars Didn't Sign With Cubs

New Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo compared his departure from the Chicago Cubs to "a bad breakup" and disputes the assessment that he and other former Cubs were offered fair market extensions.

Rizzo was sent to the Yankees in exchange for two minor leaguers, outfielder Kevin Alcantara, pitcher Alexander Vizcaino, and cash, OutKick previously reported. Rizzo had a slash line of .248/.346/.446 to go along with 14 homers for Chicago this summer. Now out of contention in the NL Central division, the Cubs recently moved on from the veteran, who can become a free agent after the season.

Rizzo was asked about comments team President Jed Hoyer made on “The Kap and J. Hood Show” on WMVP-AM 1000 on Tuesday, saying that he can sleep well knowing the Cubs made fair extension offers to their upcoming free agents, Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Báez.

“I’m kind of confused on why,” Rizzo said, per Yahoo Sports. “Why say that? Sounds like a bad breakup and the person saying they’re fine when they’re not fine."

Rizzo continued: "Listen, when it comes to the guys on our team and what we did — Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, MVPs, Rookie of the Years, good people — those things cost money. I know it comes down to a business, and when you want your cake and you want to eat it too, that’s kind of how it seemed.”

Rizzo didn’t elaborate much further but implied the Cubs wanted hometown discounts on the “Big 3″ instead of market value, Yahoo Sports reports.

Rizzo will turn 32 this week and reportedly turned down a five-year, $70 million offer made before his subpar 2021 season, which followed a career low last year in the pandemic-shortened 60-game season, the outlet reports.

The Athletic reported the offer, which appeared to be something more in line with Paul Goldschmidt’s five-year, $130 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.

But Rizzo, who reiterated he wanted to “stay" in Chicago "for life," suggested the Cubs’ failure to sign any of them shows the organization undervalues its players.

“I think it can speak for itself that there is a common denominator that no one signed,” he said. “Whoever wants to dig into that can. I just think that we had such great memories there, to come out and say that, it doesn’t really make sense. But it is what it is.”

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