Manager Aaron Boone said Anthony Rizzo is still “several weeks” away from returning to the Yankees lineup, but the first baseman said Sunday he is encouraged by his physical condition after missing the last two months with a broken arm.
Rizzo has been getting hits and grounding out.
He said he will have another scan on his arm soon, possibly as soon as this week, and if there are no abnormalities he will begin rehabilitation.
But he added that he doesn’t want to return as the player he was when injured.
Rizzo’s OPS was a poor .630, worse than any first baseman with at least 250 plate appearances except for Washington’s Joey Meneses.
“I’m feeling great and seeing the ball well,” Rizzo said. “I’ve got to come back and produce. I’m not coming back with 25 homers and a high RBI and a good batting average. I wasn’t playing at my best before I got hurt.”
“This team wants me to be better than I was and that’s what I want to do. I want to be able to contribute as soon as I get back. That’s my plan. I want to be important. I don’t want to just be here.”
Rizzo has struggled with a number of neck, back and concussion issues and his performance has declined over the past two seasons.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a home run in his second consecutive game, reaching 20 home runs for the 13th time in his career.
Stanton had just one hit in his first nine at-bats since returning from a hamstring injury, but has since gone 5-for-14 with two doubles and two home runs.
“I think he’s in good shape physically,” Boone said, “and he’s been through a lot. [rehab] That puts him in a good position. I’m happy with the quality of his at-bats.”
Juan Soto (2 home runs) has now hit a home run against all 30 MLB teams.
DJ LeMahieu had two more big hits and a walk, but in the bottom of the eighth, he was called out after a ball hit the wall in right-center field while advancing to second base.
It was the latest upside for LeMahieu, who has gone 8-for-23 with three extra-base hits and 10 RBIs over his last six starts, helping the Yankees record 15 straight games with eight or more hits, their longest streak since 16 straight games in 1997.
Clay Holmes made things interesting in the ninth inning, but still managed to record his 25th save of the season, tying his career high.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. made his first error since joining the Yankees in the top of the seventh inning, getting Marcus Semien ground out and allowing two runs.
Hundreds of family and friends were at the stadium Sunday as Anthony Volpe received the team’s Heart and Hustle Award.
But his slump continued.
Volpe was hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts, and has now gone hitless in his last 20 at-bats with seven strikeouts.
Jake Cousins took over for Marcus Stroman in the sixth inning and struck out three batters.
He has struck out 32 batters in 23 innings this season.
Jose Trevino played five innings as catcher for Double-A Somerset in his first rehab game since returning from a torn quadriceps.
Boone said Sunday that Trevino will likely play again on Tuesday and Wednesday until the team determines whether he can return to the lineup and get more playing time behind Austin Wells.
