The two broken fingers on Anthony Rizzo’s right hand no longer had a protective splint or wrap around them when he spoke to reporters Friday night, but that didn’t stop the first baseman from purpose to announce that he would not participate in the Yankees’ ALDS. list.
“I feel good. I feel a lot better than I did six days ago,” said Rizzo, who broke his fingers on a hit by pitch on the penultimate day of the regular season. But he added: “I want to get out of it, I wouldn’t be able to be my best version defensively or offensively. I had to be honest with myself and it’s difficult, but this team has a different aura right now and a different energy that I trust, hopefully in the next round, to join them.
After several days of treatment, Rizzo said he tried hitting and catching pitches Friday. He was encouraged by what he felt, but not to the point where he thought he could help the Yankees in their ALDS showdown against the Royals, which begins Saturday.
“You don’t really know which fingers you’re gripping your glove with until you have two broken ones,” Rizzo said with a laugh.
He noted that he made some adjustments to his first baseman’s glove and felt good tightening it.
With Rizzo unavailable against the Royals, Oswaldo Cabrera and Ben Rice are the Yankees’ leading candidates to start at first base. Neither is too experienced to begin with, but Rizzo has helped him and utilityman Jon Berti over the past week with the Yankees holding workouts at Yankee Stadium.
Rizzo said he was an “open book” if they needed anything, and the Yankees expressed confidence in their options. Still, Rizzo has his heart set on playing again this season, even though his schedule would have been 3-4 weeks under normal circumstances.
Asked if he could be 100 percent for the ALCS, should the Yankees advance, Rizzo said, “This time of year, nobody’s 100 percent.” So I will be 100% with everything I have and I will feel confident with everything I have to give. At this point, it’s just not there.
“But I’m confident the ALCS will be able to contribute.”
