Broken fingers could sideline Yankees' Rizzo as playoffs start / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Broken fingers could sideline Yankees' Rizzo as playoffs start
New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo could miss the start of the Major League Baseball playoffs after suffering two broken fingers when he was hit by a pitch on Saturday.
The Yankees said Rizzo suffered fractures to the fourth and fifth fingers of his right hand when he was hit by a pitch from left hander Ryan Borucki in the seventh inning of a 9-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
However, Yankees manager Aaron Boone voiced optimism that Rizzo could play at some point during the post-season.
"We'll see what we have as the week moves forward," Boone said in comments posted on MLB.com. "It doesn’t totally rule him out. It's something that is a pain tolerance thing, so we'll see as the days unfold here what we have."
The Yankees have clinched the American League East division title and a first-round bye. Their AL division series will start on October 5 at Yankee Stadium.
Boone said that Rizzo couldn't put his glove on after the half-inning and was replaced by Oswaldo Cabrera at first base.
Rizzo has been hit by pitches 222 times in his career -- the eighth-most in Major League history.
S.Mitchell--TNT
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