Anthony Rizzo’s training regimen includes getting hit by pitches
Former Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo, now a free agent, is the active leader in getting plunked. He gets hit so much that he’s 13th all-time after just 11 years in the majors.
Rizzo has been hit by a pitch 178 times, tied with Andres Galarraga and two ahead of Alex Rodriguez.
If former Cubs teammate Ian Happ‘s Instagram story is any indication, Rizzo specifically trains to withstand getting hit by a pitch during the offseason, in an apparent homage to “Happy Gilmore.”
Ian Happ records Anthony Rizzo re-creating Adam Sandler’s hilarious scene in “Happy Gilmore” by getting pelted in the batting cage by a pitch.
OK, it’s not exactly full speed, but still! Looks painful! But for a guy who leads active major leaguers in HBPs, probably light work.
You know, honestly, it’s not even completely outside the realm of possibility for him to make it all the way to the top — he has to get hit only 110 more times to pass Hughie Jennings, the all-time leader at 287. Although to be fair to Jennings, who played most of his career before 1900, he took those 287 shots in only 300 fewer at-bats than Rizzo has had in his career. Man, pitchers back then must have had no control — or they really disliked Hughie Jennings.