Anthony Rizzo explains decision to give Orlando Arcia hand sanitizer

Anthony Rizzo is now explaining why he was giving out hand sanitizer in Friday night's game. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Cubs' Anthony Rizzo explains decision to give Brewers' Orlando Arcia hand sanitizer at first base

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 7/25/20

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo isn't taking any chances when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, and he did something rather unusual, for baseball standards, in Chicago's match against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 30-year-old offered hand sanitizer to Brewers shortstop Orlando Arcia after a third-inning single on Friday, and it's a must-see moment.

Anthony Rizzo handing out hand sanitizer at first base pic.twitter.com/gyJ23ML39O
— ESPN (@espn) July 25, 2020

This definitely seems like something we'll be seeing more of in Major League Baseball as games continue, but Rizzo explained why he did it, and it appears he was just messing around, per ESPN's Jesse Rogers:

"Just sitting around with some of my friends, joking around: 'First guy that gets on, I'm going to give him some hand sanitizer.' We're playing in unusual circumstances.

"I like to have fun, joke around and keep it loose. We have a lot of respect for the Brewers. It was just one of those things."

Arcia, who went 3-for-3 on the night, was the only player to reach first base in Kyle Hendricks' shutout of the Brewers and was the only player to be a recipient of Rizzo's kind gesture.

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