The Yankees will not carry Anthony Rizzo on their roster for the Division Series against the Royals, the first baseman told reporters (X link via Chris Kirschner of the Athletic). Rizzo broke two fingers on his right hand when he was hit by a pitch late in the regular season. The veteran said he was hopeful of being available for the AL Championship Series if the Yankees get past Kansas City.
This has been a frustrating year for Rizzo, who missed a couple months during the summer with a broken right arm. He hasn’t performed well even when healthy, hitting .228/.301/.335 over 375 plate appearances. Those are his worst numbers since his 2011 rookie campaign. It’s the second straight season in which Rizzo has struggled to make a significant offensive impact. He hit only .244/.328/.378 a year ago, in large part because he was apparently playing through post-concussion syndrome for a good portion of the season.
While Rizzo hasn’t played at anywhere near his peak level, he’s still an upgrade on New York’s other options at first base. Rookie Ben Rice primarily handled the job while Rizzo was out with the arm fracture. The 25-year-old has hit .171/.264/.349 through his first 50 MLB games, with almost all of his positive production concentrated in one three-homer game against the Red Sox. Rice’s fantastic numbers in the upper minors hint at a higher offensive ceiling that he has yet to show against MLB pitching.
Rice will probably again be the choice at first base, at least against right-handed pitching. The only other players to take any at-bats at first base this season are DJ LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera and J.D. Davis. LeMahieu, who worked in the short side of a platoon with Rice, has been on the injured list for nearly a month because of a hip impingement.
Bryan Hoch of MLB.com tweeted this evening that LeMahieu was taking batting practice and hopes to be on the ALDS roster. Even if he does make it back, the Yanks probably won’t give him a ton of playing time. LeMahieu had a dismal season (.204/.269/.259 in 67 games) and won’t have the luxury of game reps to get up to speed. Cabrera is a light-hitting utility player, while Davis was released in August.
₩arkMohlers
Enjoy retirement Tony!
UncleJesse
Rizzo takes the KBO by storm in 2025
Better start learning to speak Korean, Anthony
₩arkMohlers
Did you kill Carl Winslow??
ACAB.
Pants Rowland
Rice-a-Roni time !!
whyhayzee
$600 Trillion payroll and they got nobody to play first base who can even hit .200?
Canuckleball
That costs $700 Trillion
CravenMoorehead
Got a feeling Cashman will bring in Paul Goldschmidt next year oof
UncleJesse
THEY COULD HAVE BROUGHT IN SFG LEGEND BRANDON BELT BUT NOOOOOOOO
YankeesBleacherCreature
Rice-Ozzy platoon with DJL pinch-hitting does not inspire much confidence.
CravenMoorehead
My NY brother YBC, I have an interesting stat for you.
2024
Yankees record with LeMahieu: 33-34
Yankees record without LeMahieu: 60-32
NYPD needs to arrest him if he gets within 100 yards of Yankee Stadium.
top jimmy
Put Berti at 1B and hit him lead off. Small ball wins in the postseason.
jerseyjohn
Jimmy: hardest of no’s. If you’re gonna play someone at 1st with no experience make it Soto. Berti is a pinch runner for the playoffs, not getting ab’s out of position.
top jimmy
Rice was a catcher before this season. Cabrera never started at 1B until September. So dont act like the alternatives are gold glovers. They have to put someone inexperienced there. Any sure handed middle infielder (like Berti) should be able to handle it. Look at all the unathletic power hitters that have played 1B in the past. It’s not a demanding position. Might as well put someone there who gets on base at a high rate and brings much needed speed to the lineup.
CravenMoorehead
“Bryan Hoch of MLB.com tweeted this evening that LeMahieu was taking batting practice and hopes to be on the ALDS roster.”
NO NO NO
YankeesBleacherCreature
1B/3B fielding practice tomorrow 8(
jimmertee
Ben Rice is not a championship caiber major league player. Strictly a fill in and almost a guaranteed out.
Ok Yankees Fan
Move Vedugo to first and platoon with LaMaheou. Rice not ready for the big lights of October…
Swag Dad
Ben Rice it is, maybe he surprises us.
Jerry Hairston Jr's Toupee
What a surprise…