In 2015, veteran outfielder and leadoff hitter Dexter Fowler was acquired by the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Dan Straily and the late Luis Valbuena. A move that cemented the top of Joe Maddon’s order, setting the tone for their Cinderella and World Series campaigns.
When Fowler made a move to St. Louis, Joe handed the leadoff spot to Ben Zobrist until a mix of lineup changes were experimented with. This resulted in first baseman Anthony Rizzo embracing the role on several occasions.
No one expected Rizzo to handle the role the way he did, launching a couple of home runs from his temporary position.