Anthony Rizzo explains how he and Yankees missed concussion diagnosis

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo detailed how he and the team missed a “likely concussion” diagnosis for two months. 

It has been a rough week of news for the New York Yankees. Then on Thursday, the Yankees announced that first baseman Anthony Rizzo is being placed on the 10-day injured list due to post-concussion syndrome that is being traced back to a May 28 game against the San Diego Padres in which Fernando Tatis Jr. collided with him. The team and manager Aaron Boone revealed that Rizzo had cleared the initial concussion protocol testing at the time of the injury, but that he recently complained of “fogginess” during this past weekend’s road series against the Baltimore Orioles. Rizzo is now considered week-to-week.

There was a huge uproar after this announcement, considering that the concussion-like symptoms are being traced back to two months prior and that Rizzo had played nearly every game after the fact.

Rizzo entered the Yankees’ press conference room to speak with reporters after this latest news. The first baseman spoke of his struggles since the collision with Tatis, saying that he usually knows when he can come out of a slump and that there are signs of it. Rizzo said when he was asked if there were any signs of breaking out of his struggles, he said no. He then revealed that in the past few weeks, he began going through a checklist of how to fix his mechanics and timing at the plate, but then went to see a neurologist, where it was determined he was dealing with post-concussion syndrome.

The comments can be heard below, courtesy of SNY.

Yankees: Anthony Rizzo details dealing with concussion symptoms for nearly two months

Rizzo was asked by a reporter about his symptoms after the Tatis collision, where he said he underwent the standard league testing and that he wasn’t feeling any symptoms. Rizzo continued, saying he went through those plans again with the training staff. The neurologist told Rizzo that he may not have felt the symptoms initially because every concussion is different and that the brain starts “cascading.”

When describing how he felt, Rizzo said that “You go to bed sober and you wake up a little hungover,” saying that it didn’t feel “normal.”

The video below comes courtesy of SNY.

Rizzo’s struggles since Tatis’ hip collided with his neck were evident. As The New York Post points out, Rizzo had recorded a .172 batting average, a .493 OPS, one home run, and just nine RBI since the May 28 game. Before that, Rizzo was batting .302 and held an OPS of .880.

Boone said that Rizzo will be undergoing a regimen that includes taking supplements, and visual and video exercises. Rizzo can still do physical activity, per Boone.

It’s a scary situation that Rizzo is currently going through. As for if he will return for the season, he is currently week-to-week.