Still playing with two broken fingers, Yankees' Rizzo excited for World Series return

NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Rizzo is still playing with two broken fingers on his right hand, although the swelling is gradually reducing.

At this point, the veteran first baseman is running on adrenaline as the New York Yankees attempt to win their first World Series title since 2009.

“The biggest thing is just getting the swelling out between games,” Rizzo said Wednesday before the Yankees traveled to Los Angeles. “It really blows up just from the pressure. The bones are still broken, but to be able to get the swelling out has been key and hopefully throughout this series, we’ll be able to manage it the best we can.”

Rizzo will appear in his second World Series and first since hitting .360 and catching the final out from Kris Bryant in 2016 when the Cubs ended a 108-year drought by beating Cleveland in a classic seven-game series.

New York had lost its previous five trips to the AL Championship Series, including a four-game sweep against the Houston Astros in 2022. While Juan Soto hit the go-ahead three-run homer in the 10th inning in Game 5 in Cleveland and Giancarlo Stanton claimed MVP honors by hitting four homers, Rizzo also made significant contributions at the plate for the Yankees as they finally broke back through to the World Series.

Despite the broken fingers, Rizzo batted .429 (6 for 14), his best average in any postseason series and the highest by a Yankee in the ALCS since Alex Rodriguez also hit .429 against the Angels in 2009.

“Just take it one day at a time,” Rizzo said. “The adrenaline is real. We’re doing everything we can to keep the swelling out and wrap it between innings and in between at-bats. So you just take it really, one at-bat, one pitch at a time on defense. For what we’re playing for during a game, I don’t really feel much.”

Rizzo missed New York’s Division Series win over the Royals after breaking the fourth and fifth fingers on his right hand when he was hit by a pitch from Pittsburgh’s Ryan Borucki on Sept. 28. The Yankees opted not to put him on the 10-day injured list because it would rule him out of the ALCS and Rizzo got treatment for the injury while also hitting off pitching machines as Jon Berti and Oswaldo Cabrera handled first base in the four-game series.

Rizzo batted eighth for the first two games of the ALCS in New York and was moved up to sixth for Games 4 and 5 after not starting Game 3 because Cleveland started left-hander Matthew Boyd. In Game 4, he got two hits, including a ninth-inning single off Emmanuel Clase that started New York’s comeback against the All-Star closer.

“I can’t even believe it to be honest with you,” New York rookie catcher Austin Wells said. “It’s a pretty incredible thing to have to two broken bones in your hand and go out there and do what he’s been able to do. I really don’t have a lot of words for that.”

A three-time All-Star, the 35-year-old hit .228 with eight homers, 35 RBIs and a .637 OPS in 92 games during an injury-interrupted season. Rizzo missed 62 games with a fractured right forearm after colliding with Boston reliever Brennan Bernadino on June 16. He batted .380 (8 for 21) after returning from the injured list on Sept. 1.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb