AL WILDCARD GAME: RED SOX VS YANKEES

October 5, 2021

Anthony Rizzo

Fenway Park

New York Yankees

Pregame Press Conference

Q. How much do you think your experience in big games in the postseason helps you do your best tonight?

ANTHONY RIZZO: I definitely think it helps. When I was younger, I think I was naive to experience and the importance of it. But as you go through it a few different times at different stages of your career, you realize the importance of your routine and keeping everything the same and not doing anything else. Thankfully for us, we were here last weekend, it felt like, and it was a monster series for us to get back in the wild-card in the thick of it. And it was that atmosphere that we're going to feel tonight so it's the same mentality going into it.

Q. In these past couple of months, high-profile, trade deadline acquisition for the Yankees and all the scrutiny that comes with that, do you think it helped you get through it as well as you did?

ANTHONY RIZZO: Yeah. I mean, I was on a pretty high profile team as well. So coming from one franchise like that to another, you see the similarities. Getting traded for the first time midseason was very difficult. But I think through my past experiences and what my routine is and how I go about preparing daily will never change.

Q. Anthony, what are your thoughts on leading off?

ANTHONY RIZZO: I love it. I love it. I've never done it in the postseason. But I'm excited. I'll be ready to go and set the tone. Get the first opportunity in the 2021 playoffs to do something special.

Q. What do you like about it besides what you just mentioned? Is it first crack?

ANTHONY RIZZO: Yeah. I mean, my goal is not to let Eovaldi settle in whatsoever, so to be aggressive. He's an aggressive pitcher in the strike zone. I'm sure he's going to come out firing today with the adrenaline and everything. But it will be exciting. Schwarber leading too, talked to him earlier. It's pretty cool coming full circle playing against a really good friend leading off as well, not your prototypical leadoff hitters, but he's excited about it too.

Q. Anthony, I know you were asked about this last time when you played the Red Sox. There was talk about before the deadline how you could possibly come back here, kind of a reunion again. Is it weird how it went the other way, you wound up on their nemesis team and you keep facing them in big games over and over?

ANTHONY RIZZO: Yeah. The rumors -- every year, I say they're rumors until they're rumors, and that was definitely the hottest rumor come 30th, 31st of -- what was it August? July? Whatever it was. And then when I found out the Yankees -- there wasn't much talk or any other rumors. But that's why I always say, they're just rumors until they happen. And it's not like I was, oh, I'm going to Boston. I'm going to Boston. I saw it, I heard it. Friends would text me about it.

But now being on the other side, I think this is great. It's great for baseball. This is the greatest rivalry in baseball, and it's going to be a great night and hopefully we win by a lot. But for the fans, hopefully it's a good game.

Q. When did you know that you were going to be batting leadoff tonight and what went into that conversation with Aaron?

ANTHONY RIZZO: Not much. Booney just let me know and said I'm in. Doesn't matter where you hit this time of the year. Doesn't matter what you do. I know individually stories are written about guys who are hot and guys who aren't, but this time of the year it's about winning and playing for the 25 other guys on your team and playing for your staff, playing for your city and your fans.

The personal stuff right now is nothing. Leading off, I've enjoyed it when I do it. And it won't be any different today.

Q. And you have good numbers doing it as well. Do you think there's any sort of see secret sauce for that or do you just feel good hitting first in the lineup?

ANTHONY RIZZO: I don't know. It's just one of those things where it's only the first at-bat of the game and then you're kind of back into your regular spot, especially with our lineup. So I'm hitting in front of Judge still, so that comfort level is still there. I've been doing that pretty much since I've been here. So it's just one slot higher.

Q. A lot of guys who get traded to the Yankees talk about when they get there, they expect it to be good, and it's better than expected. I'm wondering what these last couple of months have been like for you? Is it better than you thought? About what you thought? And during your downtime at all, do you think this could be a place you want to stay? I know that's early, but do you think about that at all?

ANTHONY RIZZO: I mean, just getting here, the guys were really, really welcoming to me, Gallo and Heaney. Just really welcoming, Clay. So being able to fit in right away was my biggest thing. Just being able to come in and be myself. And how engaging everyone was and how close the group is. The core has been here a little while together. So it was fairly easy. Especially coming from Chicago where we kind of had, you know, that similar situation with the high expectations and being in a big franchise like that.

So it was very -- the transition was kind of seamless. And as far as staying here long term, that's out of my hands. This game is crazy. And you never know what's going to happen. I'm just looking forward to tonight and really enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Q. Anthony, you've obviously played in rivalry games in the Central. What feels different or similar about this rivalry versus Cubs/Cardinals and other big games you've been in?

ANTHONY RIZZO: Just for me personally, this is what I grew up watching all the time. I feel like every Sunday night, it was the Red Sox and the Yankees on TV. So that's what I always grew up watching. And now I get to be part of it. So coming here whenever we were here ten days ago was really special. And tonight is going to be really special as well. Just this atmosphere, I can't say it enough, just taking it in, enjoying the moment and just having fun.

Q. The history of this rivalry and the one-game playoffs or the elimination games, do you have memories of watching the Boone game? Do you have memories of the next year? Things like that, I mean, growing up watching it so much?

ANTHONY RIZZO: Yeah. I have a lot of memories of just sitting in my living room with one of my best friends doing different signs and gestures when guys would get hits, and we'd be superstitious and keep doing it. And we were the reason why some of those comebacks would happen.

And then playing now for all these years, you just appreciate it. Popping champagne the other day, you don't know when you're going to do it again. You don't know when you're going to get your next opportunity. And it's a good feeling.