Anthony Rizzo: 'We Play Too Much Baseball'; Open to Pay Cut for Fewer Games

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo would be willing to sacrifice some money if it meant making Major League Baseball's regular season shorter.

During a Tuesday appearance on Chicago's ESPN 1000, Rizzo had this to say about possibly playing fewer games in a season. 

"I think we play too much baseball," Rizzo said, via ESPN's Jesse Rogers. "Yes, guys are going to take pay cuts. But are we playing this game for the money or do we love this game? I know it's both, but in the long run it will make everything better."

Rizzo's comments come as MLB has already had to postpone 24 games this season due to inclement weather conditions. 

Chris Marinak, MLB's executive vice president of strategy, technology and innovation, told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick that teams won't be impacted too much by having to make up games throughout the season on what would have been a normal off day. 

"As bad as it's been to have the number of games we've lost so far, I can't think of a game we've lost where I'm really concerned about the makeup date burdening a club or causing an issue," he said. "That's sort of the silver lining in what we've had so far."

In 2016, when asked about a reduced schedule, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told reporters if players were to "work less, usually you get paid less."

Rizzo noted things would get a "little more dicey" when it comes to asking players to play for less money, but he added a potential system to grandfather in new contracts reflective of the reduced schedule could work for all parties.