Mike Rizzo, an American professional baseball executive, has recently attracted attention due to his departure from the Washington Nationals in MLB.
Mike Rizzo, who had been serving as the general manager and president of baseball operations of MLB’s Washington Nationals, parted ways with the team on Sunday, July 6, 2025.
He was in his 17th year as the head of baseball operations for the Washington Nationals.
Rizzo, along with Dave Martinez, also led the Nationals to their first World Series in team history in 2019.
Furthermore, as Mike Rizzo continues to make headlines with his departure from the Washington Nationals, many are curious to learn more about his familial background and wonder if he is related to American professional baseball player Anthony Rizzo.
Anthony Rizzo, also a renowned figure in the baseball field, is currently a free agent and previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, and New York Yankees, winning several honorable titles, including 2016 World Series Champion.
However, despite sharing a similar surname and a passion for baseball, Mike Rizzo is not related to Anthony Rizzo and comes from a different familial background.
Mike Rizzo Comes From an Atheltic Family
Mike was born Michael Anthony Rizzo Sr. on December 14, 1960, in Chicago, Illinois, United States, as one of four children to late parents Phil and Bernadine Rizzo comes from an athletic family.
He is a third-generation scout. His late father, Phillip ‘Phil’ Rizzo, had a career in professional baseball spanning over half a century.
Furthermore, Phil was a former minor league baseball player who drove a truck for the city and initially scouted for the California Angels on a part-time basis. He was further promoted to a full-time scout of The Angeles.
Similarly, Phil continued his scouting career with the Nationals as a senior advisor to the GM for 11 years, leading the team to the 2019 World Series Champions before his demise on February 1, 2020.
The late Phil was also part of the inaugural induction class that entered the Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame in 2008.
In addition to his father, Rizzo’s grandfather, Vito, was also a semi-pro player and founded the family business in scouting.
While, despite being a famous baseball executive, Mike Rizzo prefers to maintain a low profile and hasn’t shared much about his personal life.
However, he married Jodi Fick Rizzo in November 2019, and the couple lives in Washington, D.C., with their son Sonny Rizzo, born in January 2023.
Mike Rizzo also has a son named Michael Jr. Rizzo, who is an entrepreneur living in San Diego.
Anthony Rizzo and His Family Are Successfully Running The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation
Anthony Rizzo was born on August 8, 1989, in Parkland, Florida, United States, as the youngest son of John Rizzo Sr. and Laurie Rizzo.
His parents, John and Laurie, both natives of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, prefer to maintain a low profile; however, his father, John, worked as an electronic security professional at Tyco and graduated from Bergen Community College.
Similarly, his mother, Laurie Rizzo, is the president of the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation.
He also has an older brother, John Rizzo Jr., who was a lineman for the Florida Atlantic University football team. John Jr. currently owns Rizzos Holiday Lighting in Parkland, Florida, and serves as the Director of Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation.
Anthony, along with his parents and brother, has been successfully running The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation.
The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 2012 by Anthony Rizzo and his family to support pediatric cancer patients and their families.
Anthony was diagnosed with limited-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma in April 2008, and he underwent chemotherapy for six months. At the same time, his grandmother was also battling breast cancer.
On September 2, 2008, Rizzo’s doctor told him he was in remission and that he could live a normal life.
Anthony, being a cancer survivor himself, realized during his battle that no matter how difficult fighting cancer was for him, it was even more difficult for his family, so the foundation aims to provide direct financial and emotional support to children and their families battling cancer.
Furthemore, Anthony Rizzo is a loving husband of Emily Vakos. The couple was married on December 29, 2018. In January 2025, Anthony Rizzo announced that he and his longtime partner, Emily Vakos, are expecting a child.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Mike Rizzo attended Holy Cross High School in River Grove, Illinois, Triton College, and Saint Xavier University, where he played college baseball for the Triton Trojans and Saint Xavier Cougars.
- He was drafted in the 22nd round, with the 554th overall selection, in the 1982 MLB Draft by the Angels and played for the minor league teams Salem Angels, Peoria Suns, and Redwood Pioneers.
- Anthony Rizzo began his MLB career with the San Diego Padres in 2011. While playing for the Chicago Cubs, he won three All-Star awards, four Gold Glove Awards, the Silver Slugger Award, and the Roberto Clemente Award.
