New York’s Slugging Star Sidelined with Fingers Injury Ahead of Postseason
In a devastating blow to the team’s playoff hopes, star first baseman Anthony Rizzo suffered a severe injury to his right hand when he was hit by a pitch during Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Yankee Stadium. Rizzo, who has been struggling at the plate this season, fractured two fingers on his right hand after being struck by an 88 mph slider from left-hander Ryan Borucki in the seventh inning.
The injury forced Rizzo to exit the game, and his status for the upcoming postseason remains uncertain. Manager Aaron Boone expressed caution, stating that Rizzo’s availability would depend on his pain tolerance. “We’ll see what we have as the week moves forward,” Boone said. “It doesn’t totally rule him out, but it’s something we’ll need to monitor closely.”
Rizzo’s injury marks a disappointing end to a season that has seen him post career lows in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and home runs. The 14-year veteran has been a strong defender at first base, but his offensive struggles have been a concern for the team.
In Rizzo’s absence, the team may turn to Ben Rice, a catcher with limited experience at first base, or utility man Oswaldo Cabrera to fill the void. Rice, 25, had a promising start to his major league career, but his production tapered off in recent weeks. Cabrera, who has made five starts at first base this season, is batting.247 with a.661 OPS.
Boone praised both players as potential replacements, saying, “They’ll definitely be in the mix.” However, the team will need to wait and see how Rizzo’s injury progresses before making a final decision on their postseason roster.
Leave a Reply