New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo was placed on the COVID-19 injured list on Sunday.
Rizzo was added at the trade deadline for a package that included right-handed pitcher Alexander Vizcaino and outfielder Kevin Alcantara.
The trade has helped vault the Yankees into the AL East race, sitting just 2.5 games back of the Boston Red Sox for second place, and 5.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the lead.
Unfortunately for New York, they’ve received some incredibly bad luck in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic, as Rizzo became the 12th player on the season to be placed on the COVID IL.
Anthony Rizzo is the Yankees' 12th player to go on the COVID-19 IL this season.
— Seth Rothman (@SethDRothman) August 8, 2021
Overall, the Yankees now have a franchise record 40 IL stints this season, and they currently have 18 guys on the shelf.
New York Yankees: Who to turn to with Anthony Rizzo out?
With Rizzo out, Luke Voit is the clear replacement at first base. Voit was already receiving playing time elsewhere, as he’s a very capable hitter when healthy and at his best. Should they need him, DJ LeMahieu can also play first base when called upon.
Gary Sanchez, Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery also all tested positive for the virus recently.
Last summer, Rizzo declared he was undecided about getting the vaccine, wanting to see more data before opting in. He is a cancer survivor.