The Los Angeles Dodgers seem to be enjoying their World Series glory. However, they are also not leaving the opportunity to poke fun at the New York Yankees. Ouch! It’s been a month since the New York Yankees lost after a disastrous run at the World Series, where they handed it all to the LA Dodgers. And since then the lashes on them haven’t stopped, and well, not only from their own fans, the Dodgers fans, but also from the LA players.
Players like Joe Kelly and Miguel Rojas have all called out the Yankees for their defensive issues and problematic baserunning. And if you thought it was over, think again! Michael Kopech, who joined the LA Dodgers mid-season as a part of a three-team trade, added to the chorus too. The right-hander, who is now also a World Series champion, pointed out one particular Yankee—Anthony Rizzo. According to him, Rizzo became the subject of the clubhouse jokes.
Michael Kopech jabs at Yankee’s Anthony Rizzo
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Dodgers pitcher Michael Kopech didn’t hold back on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast with Rob Bradford. He took a playful jab at the Anthony Rizzo. Especially Kopech mentioned the sheer number of mound visits Rizzo took during the World Series. Kopech said, “Anthony Rizzo made hundreds of mound visits during the World Series games. And you could almost see it in the pitcher’s faces. It’s like, What could they be talking about?” He explained that mound visits can be useful, but annoying if not done properly.
Kopech even mentioned that Rizzo became a topic of joke for the Dodgers bullpen. “We had a running joke in the bullpen of Rizzo visits remaining. Because it’s like, every time there was a visit, it was always Rizzo,” mentioned Kopech. While mound visits might seem like a small critique, the Yankees had bigger problems in the series.
The costly defensive mistakes and that fifth inning in WS Game 5 had put the New York Yankees’ season to bed. Kopech then highlighted how timing matters. He credited his team’s mound visit to Game 3, which helped him regain his focus after giving up a two-run homer to Alex Verdugo. “Our guys knew when to do it, and they made sure it count,” he explained. The right approach made all the difference in what he wanted to highlight.
Rizzo’s walk-off cancer event raises $1 million
While Anthony Rizzo’ sure does have a lot on his plate with free agency looming, his dedication to helping others is still unwavering. Rizzo Foundation hosted the 13th Annual Walk-Off for Cancer in Parkland. They raised nearly a million to support pediatric cancer research and families. Over 1,000 people participated, and the event was complete with a 5K run, lots of food, entertainment, and even a surprise announcement.
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Rizzo, a cancer survivor himself, revealed that his foundation would pay up the mortgage of a family whose child was battling leukemia. “Now they won’t have to decide between going to work to pay their bills or being beside their son the whole time, so hopefully this takes some pressure off them for the year,” said Rizzo. Well, given that the mom of Jackson Walker, the patient had even lost her job taking care of her child, this would ease the financial strain.
Plus, Rizzo even had a long-standing relationship with Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, and his foundation donated nearly $2 million to them. Anthony Rizzo’s ideals of giving back show how much he values supporting others in their battles. Where do you think he will end up in 2025? Let us know your thoughts!
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