Rizzo: Hoyer's comments made Cubs' trades sound like a 'bad breakup'
New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo is perplexed about Jed Hoyer's comments regarding his failed attempts to extend the Chicago Cubs' recently traded stars.
Chicago's president of baseball operations said Monday he couldn't understand why Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Javier Baez didn't sign new deals when "every one of these guys would say they wanted to stay in Chicago, 'We wanted to be a Cub,' but then we would sit down and do negotiations, that wasn't how they acted."
Hoyer added the extensions the Cubs offered would "hold up exceptionally well" against what they'd receive in the open market.
"I'm kind of confused on why. Why say that? Sounds like a bad breakup, and the person saying they're fine when they're not fine," Rizzo told "Kap and J. Hood" on ESPN 1000.
"Listen, when it comes to the guys on our team and what we did - Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, MVPs, Rookie of the Years, good people - those things cost money. I know it comes down to a business, and when you want your cake and you want to eat it too, that's kind of how it seemed."
Rizzo added: "I think it can speak for itself that there is a common denominator that no one signed. Whoever wants to dig into that can. I just think that we had such great memories there, (for Hoyer) to come out and say that, it doesn't really make sense. But it is what it is."
The 31-year-old Rizzo, who spent 10 seasons with the Cubs and was their starting first baseman during the 2016 World Series win, reportedly turned down a five-year, $70-million extension from Chicago in the spring. The reported offer was $60 million shy of what the St. Louis Cardinals gave first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
Baez negotiated with the Cubs in the spring of 2020 before the pandemic. Chicago's front office never responded to a counteroffer made by his representation, according to his agent.
Bryant, meanwhile, denied a report that he turned down an extension worth more than $200 million in February 2020.
The trio, along with several other Cubs players, was traded prior to last week's deadline. Rizzo, Bryant, and Baez are all eligible for free agency this offseason.