The Yankees’ starting first baseman, has suffered a fractured arm. The three-time All-Star has been out of play for more than a month while recovering from an injury. According to a team report on MLB.com, Rizzo may be on the verge of returning after taking batting practice against live pitching on Tuesday.
“[Rizzo] feels really good,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, according to MLB.com. Although his arm has not totally recovered, the 35-year-old veteran has added more workouts to his recovery regimen, including fielding and throwing.
On June 16, Rizzo broke his arm attempting to beat out a sluggish grounder against the Boston Red Sox. The 14-year veteran collided with Red Sox pitcher Brennan Bernadino at first base, landing hard on his right arm. Rizzo instantly grabbed his arm and rolled over, clearly in pain.
The Platinum Glove first baseman was placed on the 60-day disabled list due to a right forearm fracture. The Yankees predicted that they would be without Rizzo for four to six weeks.
Rizzo’s recuperation is taking longer than predicted, but he is making progress. “If his injury was completely healed, he’d be playing right now…” But we need to make sure that recovers to a certain extent,” Boone told MLB.com.
The Yankees’ Anthony Rizzo is progressing in his rehab
Rizzo won four Gold Gloves, a Platinum Glove, and a Silver Slugger during his 10-year career with the Chicago Cubs. He finished in the top 13 of the MVP voting four times. Most notably, in 2016, he helped the Cubs capture their first World Series championship since 1908.
The Yankees acquired Rizzo at the trade deadline in 2021 and signed him to a two-year, $40 million contract before the 2023 season. Rizzo’s offensive productivity has diminished over his tenure with the Yankees. With New York, he had a league-average batting average and a combined OPS+ of 105.
However, he has seen a significant reduction in both games played and production over the last two seasons. Rizzo is the Yankees’ starting first baseman in 2024, with eight home runs, 28 RBI, 32 runs, a.630 OPS, an OPS+ of 76, and -0.5 bWAR in 70 games.
In his place, New York brought up number 12 prospect Ben Rice. The 25-year-old rookie has shown promise in the majors. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman even lauded Rice while avoiding concerns about Rizzo’s status on the team when he returns.
However, Rice has struggled at the plate following a strong start. The rookie player is slicing.In 43 games, New York batted 188/.287/.391, with seven home runs, 22 RBI, and an OPS+ of 88.
The Yankees brought three-time All-Star DJ LeMahieu back from the IL at the end of May and have given him some playing time at first base. However, the 14-year veteran has unable to generate consistent offensive productivity. In 61 games with the Yankees, LeMahieu has a.525 OPS, an OPS+ of 49, and -1.4 bWAR.
New York is now banking on Rizzo to recover from his injury and return to form at the plate in preparation for a lengthy postseason run.
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