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The New York Yankees' lineup could use a boost. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto have continued to impress, but New York's offense has not been reliable overall in 2024. Anthony Rizzo is not the same All-Star hitter he once was, but he could help the Yankees once he returns from injury.
Rizzo, 35, is battling a forearm injury. He has been limited to 70 games played in 2024 as a result. Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided an update on the first baseman Wednesday, via Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News.
“Aaron Boone said starting a rehab assignment with some ‘DH possibilities' is being discussed for Anthony Rizzo. No date yet though,” Phillips wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Rizzo is slashing just .223/.289/.341/.630 across 291 plate appearances. Nevertheless, the Yankees will welcome back the left-handed slugger once he is able to return.
Yankees' first base concerns
First base has been uncertain at best for the team. DJ LeMahieu is in the middle of an abysmal campaign. Rookie Ben Rice has displayed signs of potential, but he has struggled for the most part.
First base is typically a position where one of your best power hitters plays. Many talented teams around the league have superstar first baseman. The Yankees, though, are not one of those teams right now.
Rizzo wouldn't completely solve the Yankees' first base concerns at this point in his career. He would help the situation, however. Although Yankees fans may not be all that impressed with Rizzo's 2024 performance, he would represent an upgrade over New York's current options at the position.
The Yankees do not have many alternatives right now. Boone is going to continue to stick with LeMahieu until Rizzo is able to return to the lineup.
“It’s been rough, no question about it,” Boone said of LeMahieu performance, via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. “He has had moments where he’s gotten it going a little bit, but it’s been tough. I know he’s working his tail off to get it right and be a contributor. At this point, we’ve got to just keep grinding with him.”
Will Yankees win AL East?
The Yankees are tied with the Baltimore Orioles at the top of the American League East as of this story's writing. New York has endured some frustrations but this team has been able to play well nonetheless. Yankees fans need to remain optimistic.
The offensive woes are concerning, and the bullpen's inconsistency has also been problematic. This is not a perfect ball club by any means. But the Yankees are staying afloat and that is all that matters. Once the postseason begins, anything can happen.
Perhaps the Yankees' lineup will catch fire in October. Maybe the bullpen will get back on track. Nothing is guaranteed to come to fruition, but there is hope for the Yankees without question.
For now, New York will focus on finishing the month of August strong. We will continue to monitor and provide updates on Anthony Rizzo's status as they are made available.
