Overview of Ross & Rizzo Unfiltered
This episode is a playoff-race check-in that mixes team chemistry, star-player health, historic season talk, and listener mailbag questions. Ross and Anthony Rizzo focus on the Cubs’ strong clubhouse vibes and PCA’s monster year, the Dodgers’ absurdly consistent NL West dominance, Aaron Judge’s injury situation, and Junior Caminero’s surprising MVP-level push. They also dig into end-of-season incentives, key statistical milestones, and Rizzo’s training for the Chicago Marathon.
Cubs, “Good Vibes,” and the NL Wild Card Race
Team bonding matters
- The hosts loved the Cubs’ off-day outing at Churchill Downs as a sign of a connected clubhouse.
- Their takeaway: championship teams often do fun things together away from the field.
- They see that kind of bonding as especially valuable late in the season.
PCA’s historic season
- They spent a lot of time praising Pete Crow-Armstrong as the engine of the Cubs’ offense and a near-lock for MVP in their eyes.
- They highlighted his:
- massive home run total,
- rare production for a player 25 and under,
- ability to impact games in multiple ways,
- and his chase for a 40-40 type season.
- Their overall point: PCA is putting up a season that could end up as one of the best in Cubs history.
The wild-card picture
- They broke down the NL race between the Cubs, Phillies, and Padres.
- Their view: the Cubs have a favorable schedule and a legitimate shot to stay positioned for home-field advantage.
- They emphasized how important home-field is, especially if the series ends up in places like Philadelphia, Chicago, or San Diego.
Dodgers’ Historic NL West Run
Sustained excellence
- The Dodgers clinching the NL West again led to a bigger conversation about their remarkable run:
- five straight division titles,
- 13 of the last 14 seasons winning the division.
- The hosts pointed out that this isn’t just about spending money; they’ve also done a strong job developing and trading from within the system.
October concern: health
- Even with all the talent, they think the Dodgers’ biggest concern is health heading into October.
- They noted worries around:
- Shohei Ohtani’s knee,
- Blake Snell’s status,
- bullpen and depth health issues,
- and other late-season bumps.
- Their feeling is that the Dodgers still have the highest ceiling, but they are not yet fully synced up.
Aaron Judge Injury and the Yankees’ Big Picture
Keep Judge healthy
- Judge’s lower-body injury became a major talking point.
- Ross and Rizzo agreed the Yankees’ top priority should be getting Judge to October healthy, not chasing regular-season reps.
- They think he has earned the right to manage his workload.
The manager’s challenge
- They discussed how hard it is for managers and medical staffs to tell stars they need time off.
- Rizzo related it to player relationships:
- the player wants to play,
- the staff has to think about the long season and postseason,
- and that can create tension.
- The broader theme: a manager’s job is often making the unpopular but necessary decision.
A player’s mindset
- Rizzo shared a Cody Bellinger story to show how players often push back against rest days when they feel hot.
- His stance as a former player: he tends to trust the player, but he understands why teams have to be cautious.
Junior Caminero and the Rays’ Surprise MVP Push
Caminero’s case against Yordan Alvarez
- The hosts spent time debating whether Junior Caminero has become a real MVP contender.
- They compared him directly to Yordan Alvarez and said the race is much closer than it looked a month ago.
- Their takeaway: Caminero is having a huge year at just 22, and Tampa Bay’s performance has helped put him on the map.
Rays as a real threat
- They praised the Rays as a legitimate playoff team and even floated the idea that Tampa could be dangerous in October.
- They also jokingly framed a Rays-Brewers World Series as a “small-market saves baseball” scenario.
The “Paper Chase”: Incentives and Stat Chases
Big-money incentives
They went through a long list of players chasing performance bonuses and milestones, including:
- Max Muncy — per-plate-appearance incentives
- Max Scherzer — innings-based bonuses
- Paul Goldschmidt — plate-appearance threshold
- Matthew Boyd — innings targets
Their point: incentives can matter a lot, especially for veterans or players whose teams are out of contention.
Milestone watch
They also highlighted players chasing big statistical markers:
- Ben Rice — 40 HR, 100 RBI
- Hunter Goodman — 40 HR as a catcher
- Kyle Schwarber — 50 HR
- Bobby Witt Jr. — 50 stolen bases
- PCA — 40 stolen bases
- Fernando Tatis Jr. — 40 stolen bases
- Chris Sale — 200 strikeouts
- Paul Skenes — 200 strikeouts
Why it matters
- They treated these milestones as career-defining or resume-building accomplishments.
- For them, these are the kinds of numbers that stick on a baseball card forever.
Mailbag Highlights
Favorite players growing up
- Anthony Rizzo: Gary Sheffield and Alfonso Soriano
- Ross: Braves-era favorites and catchers like Pudge Rodríguez, Eddie Pérez, and Charlie O’Brien
2016 Cubs in today’s game
- They discussed how the 2016 Cubs would fit into the current era with:
- the pitch clock,
- ABS,
- and the universal DH.
- Their best DH candidates if Schwarber were unavailable:
- Jorge Soler
- Chris Coghlan
- They also argued that the 2016 Cubs’ chemistry and versatility would still translate well today.
Rizzo’s Chicago Marathon prep
- Rizzo shared an update on his marathon training:
- running 3–4 times a week,
- one long run per week,
- recently logging a 20-mile run.
- He said the hardest part is the solo grind and fatigue in the legs, hips, and back.
- He’s running the Chicago Marathon on October 11 for his foundation, with proceeds supporting pediatric cancer families.
- He also mentioned support from family and friends, including Jake Arrieta.
- His mindset: finishing is the goal, and any finish is a good finish.
Closing Takeaways
- The Cubs’ clubhouse energy and PCA’s breakthrough year are major storylines to watch.
- The Dodgers are historically great, but October health is the one real concern.
- Aaron Judge’s health is more important than his final September numbers.
- Junior Caminero has become a real MVP-level name.
- Incentives and milestone chases add meaningful stakes to the last stretch of the season.
- Rizzo’s marathon update adds a personal, human ending to a very baseball-heavy episode.