NEW YORK — Anthony Rizzo has rejoined the New York Yankees roster for the American League Championship Series against Cleveland, a little over two weeks after sustaining fractures to two of his fingers from a pitch.
The Yankees also made another roster update on Monday, adding right-handed pitcher Marcus Stroman while designating first baseman Ben Rice and outfielder Duke Ellis for assignment.
On Cleveland’s side, they welcomed right-hander Pedro Avila into the fold, increasing their pitching staff to thirteen players, while dropping outfielder Angel Martínez.
Rizzo’s injury occurred on September 28 when he was hit by a pitch from Ryan Borucki of the Pittsburgh Pirates, causing fractures to his fourth and fifth fingers on his right hand.
The seasoned first baseman is a three-time All-Star and was part of the Chicago Cubs’ 2016 World Series victory. At 35 years old, he has had a challenging season, recording a .228 average with eight home runs and 35 RBIs in 92 games. Earlier in the year, Rizzo missed a significant stretch, playing in only 62 games due to a fractured forearm resulting from a collision with Boston reliever Brennan Bernardino on June 16. Upon returning to action, he showed promise, hitting .380 (8 for 21) after coming off the injured list on September 1.
Stroman recently concluded his first season with the Yankees with a 10-9 record and a 4.31 ERA, having made 29 starts along with one relief appearance. However, he faced difficulties in September, ending that month with three losses and an elevated 8.80 ERA across four outings.
Duke Ellis made a brief appearance as a pinch runner in the Division Series against Kansas City, while Ben Rice did not see any action during the postseason games.
For the Guardians, Pedro Avila has shown strong performance, maintaining a 3.25 ERA in 74.2 innings over the course of 50 relief appearances, achieving 73 strikeouts while allowing 30 walks.
In his only appearance during the Division Series, Martínez’s role was limited to a pinch-hitter, where he grounded out in Game 3.