MLB Legend Anthony Rizzo Talks Cubs, Yankees, 2016 World Series, HR Derby and More in B/R Interview

Calling this season a roller coaster for the Chicago Cubs doesn't even begin to encapsulate the ups, downs and emotional swings, but there's only one thing the players and fans can do over the course of a long year.

Just ask one of the franchise's biggest legends.

"You just have to ride the wave," Anthony Rizzo told Bleacher Report. "It's part of a 162-game season. They're not all going to be smooth sailing at all times."

But the waves have been particularly turbulent for the Cubs with multiple 10-game winning streaks and a 10-game losing streak during a season that has seen them get both red hot and ice cold for extended stretches.

Part of that instability can be blamed on the almost unfathomable amount of injuries to the pitching staff. Presumed ace Cade Horton was lost for the season to Tommy John surgery, Justin Steele still hasn't taken the mound this season as he recovers from his own Tommy John surgery, and other starters in Edward Cabrera, Matthew Boyd, Ben Brown and Jameson Taillon have all missed time.

What's more, key relief pitchers such as Daniel Palencia and Hunter Harvey have been sidelined, and it reached a point the Cubs had a full pitching staff on the injured list:

But Rizzo, who remains with the organization as a team ambassador, still believes in the long-term outlook

"As a position player, you know the pitching staff is banged up bad," he said. "They have a lot of injuries, a lot of guys on the IL. That's really what your anchor is as a team, pitching and defense. But they're still amazing defensively, that's why they're staying in so many games. They can hit.

"The offense has kind of been all or nothing. They streak together and they slump together, which is, in my opinion, a testament to how close they are. But it's just riding the wave, keep playing defense. I think they're going to hit in the long run. If they can find healthy pitching down the stretch, they're going to be just fine."

One reason the Cubs have been able to survive so many injuries to the pitching staff is Pete Crow-Armstrong's All-Star season.

He was just named the National League Player of the Month in June after hitting .381 with 11 home runs. He had 12 multi-hit games during the month, including when he hit for the cycle on June 15, and put up numbers matched by only Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig all while continuing to play Gold Glove defense.

While Crow-Armstrong turned down the chance to participate in this year's Home Run Derby, perhaps he will sing a different tune when Chicago hosts the 2027 All-Star Game at Wrigley Field.

"I do believe if he's in the position, or any Cubs player is in the position, to do it in your hometown they will," Rizzo said. "Even with the Phillies this year, if you're in a position to do it in your home stadium it would be hard to say no to that."

Rizzo's comments on the Home Run Derby are particularly notable because he will be part of Netflix's exclusive live coverage of this year's event at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on July 13 at 7 p.m. ET.

Netflix already aired Opening Night in March between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park as part of its partnership with Major League Baseball and will also broadcast the Field of Dreams Game on Aug. 13 between the Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins.

Rizzo, Barry Bonds, CC Sabathia and Albert Pujols were part of the Opening Day coverage that also featured some surprise appearances.

So what can fans look forward to with Netflix's coverage of the Home Run Derby?

"Just the production that Netflix brings," Rizzo said. "The surprise guests we saw with Opening Day bringing in Bert Kreischer and Jameis Winston. It's a production, and we're reaching an audience that hasn't been tapped before with Netflix's outreach. Opening Day was awesome, I'm really looking forward to the Derby where all the superstars of the game will be there too. 

"I'm sure we're going to get in-feed interviews of guys being relaxed and happy at the All-Star Game. I think it's going to be a star-studded affair in Philly. And Philly has been rocking, the team's playing really well. It's a really exciting time in baseball and Philadelphia."

This year's event will also feature a new format with a finite number of swings taking the place of the timed rounds. Competitors will have 20 swings in the first round and 15 in the second and final rounds, although they will get to continue until they make an out if they hit a long ball on their final swing.

"I like the new format, I think it will be less taxing on the guys long-term," Rizzo said. "It will be easier for them to take their 20 swings and then the 15 swings. … I do like the new format, I think the players are going to like it as well."

While the exact field has not been finalized yet, it would be anything but a surprise if the Phillies were well represented in front of the home fans. After all, Kyle Schwarber leads the league in home runs and Bryce Harper said he plans on participating if he can find the right pitcher.

"If Schwarber does it, it's going to be hard to beat him," Rizzo said. "Same with Harper. I hope both of those guys do it. That would be so fun for Philly and fun for the sport."

Rizzo is more familiar than most with what Schwarber is capable of considering they were teammates on the legendary 2016 Cubs team that won the World Series and snapped the franchise's championship drought that dated back to 1908.

While Rizzo also played for the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres during his career, he is most closely associated with Chicago in large part because of that title that made him and many of his prominent teammates heroes in the Windy City forever.

He was one of the leaders of that team as a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove winner who also finished fourth in MVP voting. The 10th anniversary of the memorable championship has also allowed Rizzo to reminisce even more, which is exactly what he and David Ross have done on their The Lovable Reunion podcast.

"It's been awesome and so much fun," Rizzo said. "The fan feedback has been amazing. We can tell stories all day, and I feel like people can listen to them all day. It's been almost therapeutic at times just reliving those moments. I can't believe it's been 10 years, honestly."

The championship gets all the attention, but the Cubs reached three straight National League Championship Series from 2015-17 with Rizzo leading the way, which helped fuel his belief the 2016 team would be the one to finally win it all in Chicago.

"It really started in Spring Training and the way the team developed throughout the year," he said. "We got off to a great start. I was heartbroken in 2015, so I had that belief. I don't think there's one single moment that stood out more than any other."

Chicago eventually traded him to the Yankees during the 2021 campaign, and he is keeping an eye on the team he finished his career with as well.

And the Cubs are not Rizzo's only former team going through something of a roller-coaster season.

New York got off to an excellent 45-27 start and sat in first place in the American League East. However, it went 4-13 in its next 17 games, including four straight losses to the rival Boston Red Sox, and is now looking up at the Tampa Bay Rays in the division standings.

It is not an accident the Yankees' struggles happened with Aaron Judge sidelined by a rib injury, and Giancarlo Stanton also hasn't played since April because of a calf injury. 

Yet Rizzo isn't worried about the team's overall outlook.

"They have the pitching to go win the last game of the season," he said. "They just have to keep weathering the storm, whether they win the division or get in through the wild card, it doesn't really matter with that team. They have pitching depth that can really set them up for October. They can move a starter or two to the bullpen, they can hit home runs, Ben Rice has blossomed. And when Stanton and Judge come back, it's going to add to that lineup."

In fact, he believes New York can still reach the World Series even as a wild card but might run into the back-to-back champions if it does.

The Los Angeles Dodgers once again look dominant with a lead of double-digit games in the National League West and all the star power a team could ask for in Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Kyle Tucker, Andy Pages and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, among others.

"The Dodgers right now are on cruise control," Rizzo said. "They're up so big, they can start setting guys up perfectly for October. They can even give some guys some rest. I think it's going to be Dodgers against Yankees again in the World Series, hopefully the Yankees win this time."

Plan your Octobers accordingly, New York fans.