👋 Good morning!

Wait a second — Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance on Monday night?!

He threw for 143 yards and two touchdowns! He also threw a terrible pick-six to Nahshon Wright.

Is there another J.J. McCarthy that I’m missing?

It feels like we’re being punk’d.

– Patrick Norton

Big Brothers Big Sisters

September is Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Month!

CHGO and ALLCITY are proud to support their mission, and we’re raising money all month long.

You can donate — or even learn more about becoming a Big — at bbbs.org/allcity

Rizzo Retires

After 14 years with the Padres, Cubs and Yankees, Anthony Rizzo is calling it a career. He’ll do so as a Cub, too, signing a one-day deal with the organization, which the club announced on Wednesday.

Rizzo will be honored on Saturday at Wrigley Field before the Cubs play the Tampa Bay Rays. The 36-year-old will also serve as a team ambassador going forward.

Traded from the San Diego Padres in 2012 with RHP Zach Cates for RHP Andrew Cashner and OF Kyung-Min Na, acquiring Rizzo was the first significant move made by president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer. It paid off.

Over 10 seasons in Chicago, Rizzo slashed .272/.372/.489, clubbing 242 home runs — good enough for sixth-most in a Cubs uniform behind Sammy Sosa (545), Ernie Banks (512), Billy Williams (392), Ron Santo (337) and Ryne Sandberg (282).

In 2014, Rizzo was elected to his first career All-Star Game. Rizzo was invited back to the Midsummer Classic in 2015 and again in 2016.

Also in 2016, Rizzo won his first of four career Gold Glove awards, with no defensive play more iconic than when he squeezed his glove for the third out in Game 7 of the World Series, ending the franchise’s 108-year championship drought.
Rizzo told 670 The Score on Wednesday: “[I’m] overwhelmed with joy right now. I couldn't be happier to be coming back to Chicago. This weekend is going to be really special.”
Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts on Rizzo: “Anthony Rizzo was the face of one of the most successful eras in Chicago Cubs history and we are so excited he will be a part of our organization for many years to come. His play on the field spoke for itself and was recognized with multiple All-Star appearances, Gold Glove Awards, the Roberto Clemente Award and, ultimately, being a team leader on the 2016 World Series championship team.

Any chance Rizzo can lace ‘em up for the home stretch?

He was everything you wanted in a Cub: hard-working, charitable, fiery and just damn good.

Nobody did the little things like Rizzo, whether that meant taking on entire opposing benches or hopping on a wall or tarp to make a catch.

His career numbers won’t warrant a plaque in Cooperstown, but after the club inducted Sosa and Derrek Lee into the Cubs Hall of Fame last weekend, here’s hoping Rizzo is next up to receive the honor.

Cheers to an all-time leader and an all-time Cub.

MORE: Luke Stuckmeyer, Patrick Norton & Jordan Bernfield on Rizzo’s legacy and last night’s win

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SEVEN WINS: Entering Wednesday with 17 games left on the schedule, the Sox were eight wins from avoiding 100 losses for the third straight season.

A big five-run second inning helped lower that number last night. In the inning, Michael A. Taylor doubled home Miguel Vargas, Mike Tauchman doubled home Taylor and Chase Meidroth, and Lenyn Sosa doubled home Tauchman and Kyle Teel.

Andrew Benintendi tacked on his 19th home run of the season, moving one behind Sosa for the team lead.

Sean Burke allowed five hits and three runs in 4.1 innings after being recalled from Triple-A Charlotte earlier in the day. To make room on the expanded 28-man roster, the Sox designated RHP Dan Altavilla for assignment.

Rookie reliever Grant Taylor left with a trainer in the ninth inning after sustaining a groin injury. Will Venable said after last night’s game that Taylor would get an MRI.

White Sox 6, Rays 5

ROTATION RETURN: Jameson Taillon was activated off the 15-day injured list ahead of his start last night. Taillon had been dealing with a groin strain.

Over 4.1 innings, Taillon threw 79 pitches, allowing six hits, two runs and two walks while striking out a pair.

With Taillon’s return to the rotation, Javier Assad will move to the bullpen. The Cubs also optioned RHP Ethan Roberts to Triple-A Iowa to make room for Taillon on the 28-man roster.

The Cubs’ lineup put a ton of balls in play, singling nine times with just two extra-base hits. However, the bats pushed just three runs across the plate. Still, it was enough — and enough to pick up another game on the Brewers.

Suddenly, that race is back down to 5.5 games separating the Cubs from the Brewers.

Cubs 3, Braves 2

SNOT-NOSED COMPUTER PUNK: Ben Johnson acknowledged that it probably wasn’t a great idea to avoid handing the ball off to rookie RB Kyle Monangai on Monday night. Monangai ended the night without any carries.

Johnson on the run game: “I need to call more runs. We probably were under 20 for called runs for the game.”

I also loved this quote from Johnson when asked about his relationship with Lions HC Dan Campbell:

“That friendship is always going to be there. I view him like family, and I think he would tell you the same thing. That'll never change. We have fond memories of back when I was just a young snot-nosed computer punk, as he likes to call it, in Miami. I feel like we have both grown up in this profession of coaching. He had been in it for a long time, as a player, and we both have come a long way.”

MORE: CHGO Bears Podcast on Johnson’s comments & turning the page to Week 2