KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The last time the Yankees reached the postseason, Anthony Rizzo overcame a shaky August and terrible September to perform well in the 2022 playoffs, but lost to Houston in the ALCS. Ta.
Rizzo was hoping for a similar turnaround this year after finishing a tough regular season with eight solid games, 10 hits for 26, two doubles, four walks, and a .962 OPS.
Instead, Rizzo is recovering from two broken fingers he suffered the day after the final day of the regular season and is still getting used to his new role.
“I'm just watching and rooting for them,” Rizzo said Wednesday after the Yankees won Game 3 at Kauffman Stadium and moved back to the brink of the ALCS. “It’s just a different way of thinking.”
And he knows he and his team made the right decision in removing Rizzo from the ALDS roster after his right hand was tested.
“It was surreal for me to play,” Rizzo said. “Diving play” [Jon] Made by Berti [Monday]I would have been in trouble on that play. I don't know what happened to my hands there. I'm definitely not ready for that and that's my biggest worry. ”
The ALCS doesn't start until Monday, and if the Yankees are still playing, Rizzo said he would test the hand one more time to see if the status changes.
“The feel is improving little by little,” Rizzo said. “This has been a good week. We tested last week before this series and obviously it didn't go well. But we'll go ahead and test it again. Things are getting better. As long as there is hope.”
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Rizzo has had success against many of Kansas City's pitching staffs and has plenty of postseason experience dating back to his time with the Cubs, so his presence is missing from the lineup.
But Berti and Oswaldo Cabrera, who originally replaced him, praised Rizzo's advice as a first baseman.
“It's a different way of thinking than before,” Rizzo said. “I want to be a cheering and calming influence on everyone. Just spending time with them and doing what I can to ease their burden. [at first]”
And Rizzo said he's happy to be in the postseason again, even if it's not what he wanted.
“It was a lot of fun to be a part of,” Rizzo said.
