The New York Yankees placed first baseman Anthony Rizzo on the 10-day injured list with post-concussion syndrome and recalled utility man Oswaldo Cabrera from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre.
Rizzo and Yankees manager Aaron Boone said they believed the injury goes back to May 28 when he collided with Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres as he attempted to make a tag. After a pickoff throw, Rizzo’s shoulder and the side of his head took an impact from Tatis’ hip.
Rizzo passed all concussion tests in the aftermath of the play, although he did miss three games. He returned to play in 46 games, last taking the field Tuesday. Boone said Rizzo recently told the Yankees’ training staff that he was feeling foggy. He then underwent neurological testing that revealed cognitive impairment.
“Obviously, the struggles have been real documented, and in this game, you try to figure out what is going on whenever you’re struggling,” Rizzo said before the Yankees opened a four-game series against the Houston Astros. “I guess now we can think two and two together, but over the last few weeks, you start going to the different checklists of mechanics, timing, consistently being late. Why am I consistently being late? I’ve made this adjustment plenty of times in my career, I didn’t forget how, to all of a sudden, do this.”
Boone said Rizzo is considered week-to-week. Rizzo, who will be taking three supplements designed to treat concussions, is allowed to participate in physical activity.
“They said it could be a week, it could be two weeks,” Rizzo said. “They don’t know. But for me, I think it takes all the stress out of wondering now. Now you know there’s a treatment plan. My body usually responds really well to that in the past.”
The Yankees are expected to use Jake Bauers and DJ LeMahieu at first base for the time being.
Rizzo, 33, is batting .244 with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs in 99 games this season. His .706 OPS is his lowest since his rookie season with the Padres in 2011 (.523).
In 1,635 career games over 13 major league seasons with the Padres, Chicago Cubs (2012-2021) and Yankees, he is a .263 hitter with an .838 OPS. He has 295 home runs with 930 RBIs.
Cabrera, 24, is batting .205 with four home runs and 22 RBIs for the Yankees in 80 games this season. In 124 games over the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Yankees, he is batting .223 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs
Information from Reuters and the Associated Press was used in this report.