Two years after their time together with the Tampa Bay Rays ended, Joe Maddon and Ben Zobrist hoisted a World Series championship trophy with the Chicago Cubs early Thursday morning.
Later Thursday, the Rays took to Twitter to congratulate Maddon, their former manager, and Zobrist, who played for Tampa Bay under Maddon, on the achievement.
This says it all. Congratulations, Ben and Joe. pic.twitter.com/5CYslUqgqn
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) November 3, 2016
Maddon managed the Rays from 2006-14 before joining the Cubs. Zobrist played for the Rays during that time span. He was traded to the Oakland Athletics before the start of the 2015 season, was sent to the Kansas City Royals in a trade-deadline deal and won a world championship with them last fall.
Zobrist was named the 2016 World Series MVP. He is the first Cub to receive the honor, which was first bestowed in 1955 -- a decade after their most recent appearance before this season.
Maddon and Zobrist made three trips to the postseason during their time with the Rays, including 2008's World Series run.
Maddon and Zobrist will forever be tied to Cubs lore, but it appears that they haven't been forgotten in Tampa-St. Petersburg.
-- Alex Tekip