New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo’s availability for the postseason is in doubt after he fractured the fourth and fifth fingers on his right hand when he was hit by a pitch from Pittsburgh’s Ryan Borucki during the seventh inning of Saturday’s 9-4 defeat.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone indicated that it’s too early to determine if Rizzo will be ready for the AL Division Series opener on October 5.
“We’ll assess his situation as the week progresses. It doesn’t completely rule him out,” Boone said. “It’s a matter of pain tolerance, so we’ll see how things develop in the coming days.”
Rizzo was struck on the bottom of his hand by Borucki’s slider, marking the 222nd time he has been hit by a pitch in his career. Although he showed signs of discomfort, he remained in the game after being evaluated by head athletic trainer Tim Lentych.
After the Yankees batted in the seventh, Oswaldo Cabrera took over at first base for Rizzo, while Anthony Volpe moved in to play shortstop.
Earlier this season, Rizzo was sidelined for 62 games due to a fractured right forearm sustained during a collision with Red Sox reliever Brennan Bernardino on June 16 at Fenway Park. He has a batting average of .228 with eight home runs and 35 RBIs in 92 games this year, including a .380 average (8 for 21) since his return from the injured list on September 1.
Oswaldo Cabrera and rookie Ben Rice are possible substitutes for Rizzo. Rice batted .175 with seven homers and 23 RBIs in 49 games while Rizzo was out.
Boone did not mention DJ LeMahieu, who has been inactive since September 3 due to a right hip issue.
This injury compounds the challenges the Yankees face in the final week of the regular season. Additionally, left-hander Nestor Cortes has been placed on the injured list with a flexor strain in his pitching elbow, but both he and the team remain optimistic about his potential return during the postseason.
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