NEW YORK — Anthony Rizzo can finally do the little things, like lean his right hand on the sink while he brushes his teeth. The New York Yankees first baseman had never experienced a bone break before fracturing his right forearm in a collision while trying to beat out a grounder at the Boston Red Sox on June 16. He didn’t know what to expect from the injury, and he still felt pain more than a week ago.
“Now,” he said, “there’s no pain.”
In fact, Rizzo has progressed to taking full indoor batting practice against a high-speed pitching machine, and on Tuesday, he took swings against rehabbing starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt at Yankee Stadium.
Clarke Schmidt throwing his first live BP today. Anthony Rizzo in the box. pic.twitter.com/oeqQXlvvIw
— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) August 6, 2024
The development brought closer a question that has loomed for a while over the Yankees: What are they going to do when Rizzo is ready to return?
Last week, a day after the MLB trade deadline, general manager Brian Cashman said he wasn’t sure.
“How would I be able to answer that?” he said in a conference call with reporters. “Until (Rizzo is) back and in a healthy position — I guess we’ll see where we’re at when that happens.”
On Wednesday, manager Aaron Boone also said it was too early to tell.
“That’s still a few weeks off from having (to be a decision),” he said, “so we’ll just continue to gather information and try to get (Rizzo) right and look forward to having that decision.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Rizzo said that he didn’t have a target date for his potential return, though he’s eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on Aug. 16. He said he was eyeing “in the next few weeks” for a possible return, with a rehab assignment happening perhaps “in the next couple of weeks.”
“Every day, I’ve been waking up and feeling exponentially better than before,” Rizzo said.
The Yankees could go in several directions.
The simplest would be to give the job back to Rizzo, a 14-year veteran and World Series winner whose experience could be invaluable during pushes for the division and through the playoffs. That likely would mean demoting rookie Ben Rice, a converted catcher still learning the position who had a hot start but has seen his offensive production dip.
Rizzo has had trouble offensively, too. In 2023, he was hitting .304 with a .880 OPS in 53 games before a collision at first base in late May sent him tumbling to the ground. The rest of the way, he hit just .172 in 46 games, and his campaign ended with two months left in the season as he was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome.
It didn’t get better for him in 2024. Before fracturing his arm, he was hitting just .223 with eight homers, 28 RBIs and a .630 OPS in 70 games.
Meanwhile, Rice gave the Yankees an immediate boost. After clubbing three home runs in one game on July 6, he was hitting .294 with four bombs, 12 RBIs and a .972 OPS in his first 17 games. But going into Wednesday’s doubleheader with the Los Angeles Angels, he had been struggling with a .130 average, three homers and a .536 OPS in his previous 20 games. Overall, he had posted a 100 OPS+ — or exactly league-average offensive production (Rizzo was at 77 OPS+ for the season).
Defensively, Rice has been “a pleasant surprise,” said infield defense coordinator Travis Chapman. Despite his relative inexperience at the position, he’s looked athletic enough to cover the routine plays as he learns the nuances of the position.
Another option? The Yankees could have Rice or Rizzo — both left-handed hitters — platoon with the righty-hitting DJ LeMahieu, though he’s also struggled this season (.184 average, two homers, 21 RBIs, .520 OPS in 50 games before Wednesday).
The Yankees could also cut Rizzo, who’s owed the remainder of the $17 million he’s making this season and his $6 million buyout for 2025. However, there has been no indication the team has considered the move. There could be room for both Rizzo and Rice on the big-league roster when it expands on Sept. 1.
Rizzo, 34, and Rice, 25, each have said they have a good relationship.
“To have a veteran first baseman like that around me, to be able to talk to him whenever, it’s been huge,” Rice said.
Rizzo said that he’s been impressed with Rice.
“It’s a great opportunity for him that he got,” Rizzo said. “He’s done really well. He’s held his own. He has a really good eye, which plays in this league with pitch selection. At first base, I think he’s played really well, and I’ve said this since the minor leagues, you’ve got to root for the guys you play with, no matter what. I’ve played with guys who have kind of prayed on the downfall of what they deem the competition, but if you’re good enough to play in this league, you’re going to find ways to play, to get an opportunity. I know he’s a little bit older, later-round draft pick. It’s awesome. To see him smile with that smile for his first hit and to have a three-home-run game, it’s insane. It’s been fun to watch.”
But, so far, the Yankees haven’t publicly hinted at the direction in which they might go. And they don’t have to decide anything just yet with Rizzo’s return date still at least weeks away.
“I think Ben’s done a really nice job for us,” Boone said. “I think what DJ has been doing lately, I feel like he’s moving the needle again and getting some confidence going. Right now, it’s kind of those two guys sharing that position. But then (Rizzo) is getting closer to being part of that mix.”
(Photo of Anthony Rizzo, left, and Ben Rice: Luke Hales / Getty Images)
