New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo is set to make his return to the lineup for the AL Championship Series after sitting out the divisional round. Rizzo will rejoin the Yankees as they face off against the Cleveland Guardians, with Game 1 scheduled for Monday.
Rizzo sustained a hand injury when he was hit by a pitch in the Yankees’ final regular season series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, resulting in two fractured fingers. This injury caused him to miss the entirety of the Yankees’ 3-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS.
Initially, both Rizzo and Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed optimism about Rizzo’s availability for the ALDS, but he was eventually ruled out before the start of the playoffs.
“Gutting through it, I wouldn’t be able to be my best version defensively or offensively,” Rizzo stated after being ruled out. “I had to be honest with myself, and it’s tough but this team has a different aura right now and a different energy that I’m confident hopefully in the next round to join them.”
Throughout his 14-year career, Rizzo has been hit by 222 pitches, making him the eighth-most hit player in MLB history and the most among active players. Earlier in the season, he missed 62 games due to a right forearm fracture sustained during a collision with Boston Red Sox reliever Brennan Bernardino before returning to play in September.
Despite not being able to play, Rizzo continued to practice with the team during the divisional series, wearing a brace on his fingers. It is expected that he will continue to wear the brace during the ALCS.
As the higher seed, the Yankees will have home-field advantage for the first two games of the seven-game series against the Guardians.