The New York Yankees lost year took another bad turn Tuesday, with news that the team is shutting down first baseman Anthony Rizzo for the rest of the season.
Rizzo has been on the IL since Aug. 3 dealing with post-concussion syndrome. While manager Aaron Boone said that Rizzo is improving, the team is running out of time for him to return in 2023.
There’s absolutely no sense in rushing Rizzo back to the lineup, as the Yankees (68-69) are an extreme long shot to make the postseason.
Rizzo actually suffered the concussion May 28 in a glancing collision with San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr.
Anthony Rizzo appeared to be in a lot of pain after getting tangled up with Fernando Tatis Jr. on this strike em out throw em out double play pic.twitter.com/dHpj8kh2e0
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 28, 2023
While Rizzo played for two months after that incident, he hit .173 in June and .167 in July.
The three-time All-Star finishes the season with 12 home runs and a .706 OPS.
The MLB world reacted to the news with one thought on many fans’ minds: Why did it take the Yankees so long to recognize Rizzo’s symptoms?
That no one in the organization questioned a two-month “slump” by one of the best left-handed bats in MLB over the past decade will never be something I can understand.
— x – Deb Seymour (@DebSeymour51) September 5, 2023
i’m so heartbroken right now but shutting Anthony Rizzo down for the rest of the season is the right move… he should’ve been out long before he was, concussions are not something to be fiddled with. get better for 2024, Rizz, we need our italian stallion first baseman 🥺🤟🏻🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/WeYzpr6s78
— roseanne ✨ (@hoodierizz) September 5, 2023
if you are suffering from a concussion MONTHS later, that is very very bad
— Seán Murray | sean3.eth (@financeguy74) September 5, 2023
Are they going to look into why/how the team medical staff missed this for 2 whole months?
— Trachiel Tallchief (@Trachiel_24) September 5, 2023
Not for nothing, that’s gotta be more of a failure on Rizzo. You mean to tell me you couldn’t see the ball and woke up every day with a “hangover” and didn’t think there might be something wrong there?
— BasedKent (@BasedKent) September 5, 2023
Smart move. No need to rush him back after overlooking a lingering issue for over two months
— Devon (@gundy621) September 5, 2023
