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New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo is back on the roster for the AL Championship Series, after missing the divisional round. Rizzo will join the Yankees as they take on the Cleveland Guardians, with Game 1 on Monday.
Rizzo was hit on the right hand by a pitch in the Yankees’ regular season finale series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, fracturing two fingers. He missed the entirety of the Yankees’ 3-1 win in the ALDS over the Kansas City Royals with the injury.
Both Rizzo and Yankees manager Aaron Boone were initially optimistic about Rizzo being able to play in the ALDS, but he was eventually ruled out ahead of the playoffs.
“Gutting through it, I wouldn’t be able to be my best version defensively or offensively,” Rizzo said after being ruled out. “I had to be honest with myself, and it’s tough but this team has a different aura right now and a different energy that I’m confident hopefully in the next round to join them.”
Rizzo has been hit by 222 pitches in his 14-year career, the eighth-most in MLB history and the most for an active player. Earlier this season, he missed 62 games after fracturing his right forearm during a collision with Boston Red Sox reliever Brennan Bernardino, before returning to the lineup at the start of September.
Despite not being in the lineup, Rizzo practiced with the team throughout the divisional series, wearing a brace on his fingers. It is likely that he will wear the brace during the ALCS as well.
As the higher seed, the Yankees host the first two games of the best-of-seven series against the Guardians.