Who Is Anthony Rizzo's Wife? All About Emily Vakos

The couple has been married since 2018

Anthony Rizzo and his wife, Emily Vakos, have settled down in New York, where the baseball player starts at first base for the New York Yankees.

The couple moved to the Big Apple from Chicago, where Rizzo previously starred for the Cubs and won a World Series in 2016. It’s also where the three-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner proposed to Vakos.

The pair married in 2018 and are pet parents to their puppy, Kevin. Vakos admitted that she had to get used to the attention that came with being Rizzo’s partner.

“I’ll be picking out bananas and then I’ll find him doing a photo shoot with the entire Whole Foods,” she shared with Chicago Splash in 2017.

“We walk into places and the next thing you know we’re saying hello and taking pictures,” Rizzo added. “It’s great to do that, but [sometimes we’re just] trying to go on a date.”

So who is Anthony Rizzo's wife? Here's everything to know about Emily Vakos and her relationship with the MLB star.

She went to college in Arizona

According to her LinkedIn page, Vakos graduated from Arizona State University in 2016 with a degree in nutrition and food management. She is also a certified school nutrition specialist.

Apart from her passion of eating well, Vakos is listed as a real estate broker as well.

She was a Chicago Cubs intern

Rizzo and Vakos first met at spring training in Arizona in 2016, when the first baseman was still a member of the Chicago Cubs.

At the time, Vakos was interning with the team’s nutrition department during her final year at university, so when the star athlete asked for her phone number, she gave him a fake one. Still, Vakos left the door open to dating after her stint with the team ended.

In an interview with Chicago Splash, Rizzo called his pursuit of the Dallas native "relentless,” and the two eventually began to see each other.

She thought her proposal was a prank

Rizzo pulled out all the stops for his proposal to Vakos in 2017. He took his then-girlfriend out on a cruise on Lake Michigan and arranged a fireworks display. Though she said yes, Vakos originally thought they were there for a photo shoot. When Rizzo pulled out the ring, she thought it was a prank.

“I’m a very jeans-and-T-shirt girl, especially if I’m going on a boat,” she told Chicago Splash in 2017. “So a lot of [people ask] how did he get you so done up — in a dress, hair and makeup done? It’s because I thought we were going to [a photo shoot]! ... He thought out every detail.”

"It was great,” added Rizzo. “She was totally surprised so that’s what I wanted. I somehow kept that one under wraps."

She married Rizzo in 2018

Rizzo and Vakos tied the knot on December 29, 2018, just before the new year, in South Florida.

The elegant weekend wedding featured several of Rizzo’s teammates from the 2016 team, including David Ross, Dexter Fowler (whose daughter served as the flower girl), Kris Bryant and Matt Sczcur.

For their first dance, country music sensation Brett Eldredge performed. The reception also featured their favorite dishes from their hometowns, including Rizzo’s beloved cannoli from New Jersey.

“I had a wedding beyond anything I could have ever dreamt,” Vakos shared with Modern Luxury in 2018. “It’s going to be perfect no matter what, because you’re marrying your best friend.”

Rizzo thanked his guests and new wife in a sweet Instagram post.

“So much love for everyone who came and celebrated our very special weekend and for all the kind messages people have sent,” he wrote at the time. “The most love to my amazing wife Emily, thank you for being you! Happy new year from the Rizzo’s!🥂 ✌🏻.”

She completed the New York City Marathon

Vakos proved that Rizzo is not the only athlete in the family when she ran the New York Marathon in November 2023 in support of the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation.

Rizzo, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in April 2008, founded the organization in 2012 to provide assistance to families dealing with pediatric cancer.

Samantha Bracksieck, the wife of right fielder Aaron Judge, joined Vakos. The novice marathon runner told The New York Post how Bracksieck helped her navigate the new terrain.

“I have gone to her throughout this entire process and asked her a gazillion questions about what the day [of] looks like, what I should be wearing, what headphones, what her training looks like,” Vakos told the newspaper. “We’ve ran together as well, and she’s really been a support system for me and given me a lot of good experience advice.”

Vakos finished the race in 3 hours 47 minutes and 54 seconds and celebrated with her husband at the finish line. Rizzo later praised his wife’s efforts in an Instagram post.

“Emily’s first race of any magnitude and she absolutely crushed the @nycmarathon!” he wrote. “I am so proud of all your hard work and long days of training paying off."

Rizzo continued, "Marathon Sunday is the best day in NYC and even better chasing @rizzoem around with friends and family while she is representing the @anthony_rizzo_familyfoundation. Congratulations to every single runner for such an amazing accomplishment!”

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