A former Cubs power-hitting first baseman recently retired but has received an invitation to participate in next year’s Classic.

Anthony Rizzo, who hit 303 home runs during his MLB career, retired this year, but media sources suggest he may have an opportunity to make a comeback — Italy’s national team has reached out to him to see if he would play for them in the 2026 World Baseball Classic taking place in March.

Rizzo spent 14 seasons in the Major Leagues, totaling 303 home runs and 965 RBIs. He played for the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, and New York Yankees during his career. His prime years were undoubtedly with the Cubs, where he hit over 30 home runs in four consecutive seasons, earned both Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards, and helped break the “Curse of the Billy Goat” by leading the Cubs to a World Series title in 2016.

In the latter part of his career, Rizzo was traded to the Yankees but failed to meet expectations with his new team. In 2023, for the first time since his rookie year, his OPS+ fell below the league average. In 2024, he managed just 8 home runs with a batting average of .228 and an OPS+ of 82. As a result, he did not secure a suitable contract during the offseason, missed the entire 2025 season, and officially announced his retirement in Chicago this past September.

However, the latest update from Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com reveals that Ned Colletti, the general manager of the Italian national team, has stated he invited Rizzo to join the team next spring for the Classic. Rizzo is currently still considering the offer.

Although Rizzo was born in Florida, USA, he is a descendant of Italian immigrants, with his great-grandfather originating from Sicily. This heritage qualifies him to represent Italy internationally. In fact, he previously played for Italy in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, recording 4 hits in 17 at-bats and drawing 5 walks.