Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo may not be on the
diamond right now because of MLB’s stoppage of play due to coronavirus, but
that doesn’t mean the slugger has been taking it easy.
Rizzo, who has been in Florida since spring training was stopped in the midst of the pandemic, has been working out with strength and performance coach Tom Flynn, and he has lost at least 25 pounds during that time:
“Here’s what 12 weeks of grinding and determination looks
like,” Flynn said in an Instagram post. “Anthony Rizzo and Mike Napoli showed
the big league mental toughness for self-improvement!”
In photos and videos posted to Flynn’s page, Rizzo looks
significantly leaner than he has in past seasons. On MLB’s official website,
Rizzo is listed at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, but he’s definitely lost weight
during the team’s quarantine.
Now, it’s just a question of when Rizzo will actually be
back on the diamond. MLB and the Players’ Association are currently sparring over
how to start up the season, and there hasn’t been much progress made in negotiations
up to this point.
Needless to say, Rizzo appears that he will be ready when
the season gets going.
