Jameson Taillon recalls Anthony Rizzo's peculiar motivational speech that referenced his cancer battle

Former Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees slugger Anthony Rizzo battled Hodgkin's lymphoma when he was 18 years old. He successfully underwent chemotherapy, achieving remission in 2008.

The first baseman established the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation in 2012 to help people battling the disease. Another MLB player who successfully overcame the disease is Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon, Rizzo's former Yankees teammate.

The 3x All-Star is known for making mound visits from first base, and in one of those visits, he tried to motivate Taillon with a peculiar speech. Taillon shared the story on Wednesday at the "Digging Deep Show."

"I was in Tampa one time, and I think it was like the eighth inning," Taillon said [From 3:09]. "I'm falling behind a guy. Rizzo comes out, and like we had talked, we've both had cancer and stuff, so he comes out and he's like, 'Hey, I know you only have one nut, but like, I want you to pitch right here like you have two. Let 'em hang out.'"

The 33-year-old pitcher was puzzled after Rizzo's speech but struck out the batter to escape a potential jam.

Taillon played together with Rizzo on the Yankees from 2021 to 2022. He had one of his testicles removed in 2017 after a testicular cancer diagnosis. The 33-year-old has been cancer-free since 2019.

Rizzo is now a free agent, having spent the last four years with the Yankees. The Bronx Bombers declined his $17 million option for the 2025 season.

Jameson Taillon mocks Anthony Rizzo's mound visits

The Yankees lost the 2024 World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the pivotal fifth game saw many errors. One of them was the miscommunication between Anthony Rizzo and Gerrit Cole, enabling Mookie Betts to reach first base.

Following the World Series, Dodgers pitcher Michael Kopech criticized Rizzo, speculating that pitchers don't want Rizzo visiting them on the mound. James Taillon also shared his opinion on the matter.

"No one loves a mound visit more than him (Rizzo). They put the five-visit rule in place because of him," Taillon jokingly said [From 2:46].

In addition to mound visits, Rizzo is known for making prank calls during the games. Yankees coach Mike Harkey once revealed that he had to yell at Rizzo for prank calls to the bullpen.

About the author

Safeer M S is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda, having delved into the sport professionally since 2024. His journey into baseball was sparked by Shohei Ohtani’s remarkable MLB performances, which ignited his passion for the game. Safeer’s enthusiasm for fantasy baseball further fueled his engagement with the sport.

Safeer supports baseball stars like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, and Aaron Judge, with Shohei Ohtani's dual-threat dominance being his most memorable baseball moment. He admires Willie Mays for his athleticism and historic achievements in pinch-hitting and stealing bases.

In addition to his baseball expertise, Safeer is deeply passionate about combat sports, which he has been reporting on since 2022. His journey into combat sports began with Karate lessons in school, followed by boxing training. Films like Rocky 4, Never Back Down, and Warrior inspired his love for MMA, and witnessing Demetrious Johnson's victory over Kyoji Horiguchi solidified his commitment to the sport.

When not immersed in sports, Safeer enjoys playing football, working out, and watching anime or thriller movies.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash