Anthony Rizzo's got jokes.
Thursday, Rizzo poked fun at the Houston Astros cheating scandal. The Cubs first baseman posted on his Instagram story "I think it's safe to say I won't lead the league in hit by pitches this year..." accompanied by a gif of three trash cans.
*Eyes emoji*
The Astros used a camera during their 2017 championship season to steal opposing teams' signs. Houston would relay those signs to their dugout, and someone would bang a trash can to signal to Astros hitters the exact pitch coming their way.
The scandal has players fuming league-wide, with more damning information advancing the story seemingly by the day. Now, there's an overwhelming feeling opponents will retaliate by intentionally plunking Astros hitters this season.
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MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is warning all 30 teams consequences will come from any intentional beanballs. This could turn problematic fast, as umpires may overreact to any hit-by-pitch. Pitchers have the right to throw inside, and sometimes, a pitch just runs in too tight.
Rizzo is all too familiar with this, hence the bigger punchline to his post. The 30-year-old has been hit 145 times in his nine-year MLB career — second among all active players (Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo holds a slight 'advantage' at 150, albeit with six more seasons on his résumé).
Rizzo notoriously stands on top of the plate, hence why he's plunked so frequently. If an Astro is hit more than him in 2020, one will rightfully make the connection to Houston's scandal.
In the meantime, we're here for Rizzo trolling, and he won't be the last player to do so at the Astros' expense.