Yankees' Rizzo over Cubs trade: 'It's business'

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo returned to the Windy City on Thursday and discussed his time with the Chicago Cubs.

Prior to Thursday's game against the Chicago White Sox, Rizzo was asked what he thought of being traded and if he hashed it out with Cubs executive Jed Hoyer.

"Yeah, I think with our relationship with Jed, Theo (Epstein), and Jason McLeod, those three really saw me grow up," Rizzo said, according to the Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan. "They know who I am. They know who my family is and (wife) Emily is. And I know who they are. I don't think it was ever necessarily (acrimonious). It's business. ... They had to make tough business decisions."

The Cubs dealt Rizzo to the Yankees last July after failing to reach a contract extension. He said last August that Hoyer's comments made the trade sound like a "bad breakup."

"As a human being, was I (ticked) off? Of course. But as a baseball player who sees what happens and (knows) this is a business, that's the way it is. As far as hashing it out, I don't think there's much to hash out."

Rizzo has become a mainstay in the Yankees' lineup and is focused on helping them remain atop the AL East standings. However, he still hopes for the best in the place where he became a star.

"I wish them well," Rizzo said of the Cubs. "I want Jed to have success being the president there. He was the GM under Theo for a while. So for him to build the next great Cubs team would be great for him and (his wife) Merrill and his family."