New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo has been placed on the injured list with a “likely concussion,” manager Aaron Boone told reporters Thursday (per The Athletic). Officially, the injury is listed as post-concussion syndrome and Rizzo will be evaluated week-to-week. Boone said Rizzo complained of fogginess recently and they have traced the injury all the way back to a May 28 collision with Fernando Tatis Jr. at first base.
When asked if Boone considered parking Rizzo after he brought up the fogginess, rather than continuing to play him for two games, Boone said no.
Rizzo exited that May 28 game with what the Yankees called a neck injury and he did not play in their next three games. He passed the league-mandated concussion protocols that day. Here’s the collision.
The news that Rizzo has been playing with a “likely concussion” comes the same week the Yankees essentially sat on their hands at the trade deadline. They are in last place in the AL East and increasingly appear to be an organization in disarray. Rizzo playing through a “likely concussion” for 10 weeks is inexcusable.
Now 33, Rizzo has struggled badly the last few months and was struggling before the collision with Tatis, though his performance has really slipped since then. Through May 28, Rizzo was hitting a stout .304/.376/.505 with 11 home runs in 53 games. Since then he owns a .172/.271/.225 batting line with one home run in 46 games.
Utility man Oswaldo Cabrera was called up to fill Rizzo’s roster spot. Jake Bauers and DJ LeMahieu will handle first base duties while Rizzo is sidelined. Rizzo is in Year 1 of a two-year, $40 million contract.
