Next Man Down—anthony Rizzo

In the dizzying array of injuries provoking this 2024 Yankees team, the next man in the domino row went down this week. After being scratched from the lineup against the Mets Friday, Yankee first baseman Anthony Rizzo is the next casualty in the line of fallen soldiers this spring. 

As reported by ESPN, “Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo was a late scratch from Friday’s game against the New York Mets due to lat tightness. Rizzo said he’s had the issue on occasion during his career. Rizzo said he’s fully confident he will be ready for Thursday’s opener at Houston.”I’ve had it to where it’s been six to eight days, I’ve had it where it’s one to two, I’ve had it where I played through.” Rizzo said. “So, this is precaution at the fullest. I’m not going to risk it turning it into something that could be really bad.”

Question fans, is this “lat tightness” code for “regular recurring back issues”? Just working on my Yankee injury dictionary and wanted to be sure I got it right. I just can’t believe this crap. Again what are you all doing in the off season? And why aren’t you attending to your body to ensure you are ready to play at the start of the season?

According to The Athletic, Rizzo said this is all precautionary and “its recovery time can run a wide spectrum, and that in the past he might have pushed through the pain and made it worse. He said there have been times where it’s taken as many as eight days to heal and other times where it’s needed just two. “This is precaution at the fullest,” he said, “just knowing where we’re at this spring training and this moment. Again, it’s just being smart. Younger me would have just pushed through and to play and get a spring training game in. But it’s just not worth it.”

Knowing you are prone to this, is your older self you doing anything to prevent it? Again, how do you take care of yourself in the off season? And are these all signs that Rizzo’s baseball life is coming to a close similar to DJ LeMahieu‘s? Hate to be the bearing of bad news, and not that it was not predictable, Yankee skipper Aaron Boone shared on Friday that LeMahieu’s recovery has a long way to go before we will see him in the lineup. Great- take the domino right off the board.

“Last season, the Yankees put 28 players on the injured list — the sixth-most in MLB — with injuries to Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Rizzo, LeMahieu, Carlos Rodón and Nestor Cortes particularly contributing to their fourth-place finish in the American League East,” reported The Athletic. 

Who’s next? It’s anyone’s guess. I don’t want to say in case the injury bug is listening, but likely one of the guys above. It is annoying, it is frustrating, and it is now a part of the game. Are baseball players lifespan on the field getting shorter? Is that what this boils down to? Maybe that’s the answer. 

–Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof