The New York Yankees announced another blockbuster trade on Thursday in which they acquired first baseman Anthony Rizzo from the Cubs. As reported by Jack Curry of YES Network, in exchange for Rizzo, the Cubs will receive right-handed pitcher Alexander Vizcaino and outfielder Kevin Alcantara.
Rizzo has been with the Cubs since 2012. Prior he had spent the 2011 season with the San Diego Padres. Over the course of his career, Rizzo has hit .269/.370/.483, with a .853 OPS. He has a career 284 doubles, 21 triples, and 243 home runs, along with 793 RBI’s and 730 runs scored.
In 2020, Rizzo batted .222/.342/.414, with a .755 OPS, with six doubles, 11 home runs, 24 RBI’s, and 26 runs scored in the COVID-19 shortened season.
So far this season he has batted .248/.346/.446, with a .792 OPS. He has 16 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs, 40 RBI’s, and 41 runs scored.
Rizzo ranked second in home runs in the National League in 2014 with 32 home runs, and has been top ten in home runs hit in the National League four times. He was also a 2016 Rawlings NL Platinum Glove award winner and 2016 National League defensive player of the year.
Rizzo will join the Yankees with Joey Gallo who was traded to the Yankees on Wednesday night.
In exchange for the hot-hitting Rizzo, the Cubs are receiving Vizcaino and Alcantara.
Vizcaino is a right-handed pitcher from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic. He has been with the Yankees since 2016 and has spent the latter half of the 2021 season with the class High-A Hudson Valley Renegades. The Yankees No. 9 prospect is 0-1 with high-A so far, with a 9.00 ERA over the course of four games played and four innings pitched. He has three strikeouts. He has a double-plus fastball and changeup and a splitter that is known to be “devastating.” With time and work, Vizcaino has promise to do well.
Pulaski Yankees starting pitcher Alexander Vizcaino (57) in action against the Greeneville Reds at Calfee Park on June 23, 2018 in Pulaski, Virginia. The Reds defeated the Yankees 6-5. (Brian Westerholt/Four Seam Images via AP)
Kevin Alcantara is the Yankees’ No. 12 prospect. The outfielder from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic has spent the 2021 season with the FCL Yankees. He has batted .360/.448/.520, with a .968 OPS so far this season. He has one double and a home run, five runs scored, and three RBI’s.
Kevin Alcántara (Photo by John Brophy / Pinstriped Prospects)
The acquisition of Gallo and now Rizzo give the right-handed batting heavy Yankees two very strong left-handers in the lineup.
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