Anthony Rizzo’s arm on mend, but has ways to go until Yankees return
CHICAGO — Anthony Rizzo underwent a follow-up scan on his arm this week that revealed some good news, but not quite enough of it to advance to the next step in his recovery.
The veteran first baseman, who suffered an arm fracture in mid-June, had some healing in the arm, “but still some more to go,” manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Rizzo had been ramping back up in recent weeks, including taking live at-bats against Clarke Schmidt last week at Yankee Stadium and can continue his baseball activities, per Boone.
But it did not sound like a rehab assignment was on the horizon just yet.
“He’s doing pretty well and feels good about all the things he’s doing,” Boone said before the Yankees’ 4-1 win over the White Sox. “But we gotta make sure we get fully healed to where he’s not in danger if he falls again or something like that.”
Will Warren will be called up to start Wednesday’s series finale against the White Sox.
After the hole was created by Friday’s rainout and then Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon both starting in Saturday’s doubleheader, Warren was not going to be eligible to be recalled on Wednesday — because he had not been back at Triple-A for 15 days since he was last optioned — unless he was replacing an injured player.
That is expected to be the case with Jazz Chisholm Jr. headed to the IL, though the Yankees will still need to send a pitcher out to satisfy having the maximum of 13 arms on their 26-man active roster.
Warren has made two spot starts over the last two weeks, holding his own against the Phillies before the Angels rocked him last week.
Alex Rodriguez headlines the list of first-time attendees — along with CC Sabathia — for this year’s Old-Timers’ Day on Aug. 24 at Yankee Stadium.
But instead of a game, the Yankees will again host a Q&A (hosted by Suzyn Waldman and Joe Girardi) while honoring their 2009 World Series championship team, including Derek Jeter.
A notable exception from the list of attendees released by the Yankees on Tuesday was Brett Gardner, who has not been heard from since playing his last game as a Yankee in the 2021 AL wild-card game at Fenway Park.