What more does Anthony Rizzo need to be a Hall of Famer?

Anthony Rizzo has to keep up his current pace to be considered for the Hall of Fame.

Anthony Rizzo will always hold a special place in the hearts of Chicago Cubs fans. He was a huge part of the 2016 drought-ending team and has made three All-Star Games since being traded to Chicago before the 2012 season.

Rizzo is also a three-time Gold Glove winner and has finished fourth in National League MVP voting twice in his career. He is a star in Chicago, but is he on pace to be a Hall of Famer?

Anthony Rizzo’s Hall of Fame chances

As of right now Rizzo is 30 years old and has been in the league since 2011. His first full season came in 2013. The first baseman has 1,204 hits and 218 home runs. For comparison, Mike Trout has played in nearly the exact same amount of games and has 1,324 hits and 285 home runs.

So don’t let the low numbers fool you. Rizzo making the Hall of Fame would be contingent upon playing at his current place for another seven to 10 years. Simply doubling his numbers, which is a low estimate considering he only has seven full seasons, puts him at 2,408 hits and 436 home runs. We could also say that gets him another three or four All-Star Games and a Gold Glove or two.

There is obviously much more than home runs and hits that go into a Hall of Fame resume. Unfortunately, those two numbers do still stand out to plenty of voters, as does how players treated the media in their playing days. Rizzo should have no problem with the latter.

For a more accurate representation of his career we can look at his WAR total. Currently Rizzo has a career total of 33.5. That puts him 46th among active players. Albert Pujols tops that list with a mark of 100.8.

Keeping it simple and doubling his current total gets us to 67.0. That ties Rizzo with Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar and puts him ahead of a whole list of Hall of Famers. Craig Biggio played 20 seasons and finished with a 65.5 WAR that landed him in the Hall. His 3,000 hits helped as well.

Rizzo not reaching 3,000 hits or 500 home runs can end up hurting his cause. But if he can get his WAR in the 65-70 range there is no logical reason why that isn’t good enough for a new generation of voters. Rizzo was also a key piece on a World Series team and has been an elite player at his position for the past six seasons.

Expecting him to double all his numbers is not a given. However, Rizzo has shown no major signs of slowing down and even missing time during the shortened 2020 season won’t derail his career numbers. If anything, it can avoid some wear and tear on his body.

An MVP Award would certainly boost his case and help him if he doesn’t reach the legacy marks with hits and home runs. Rizzo is not a Hall of Famer right now. But barring a total collapse, he is on pace to be someone who gets in later during his time on the ballot.