Anthony Rizzo to miss substantial time for Yankees after first base collision

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo suffered an arm fracture after a collision at first base on Sunday. He's going to miss a month of action because of it.

On Monday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that Rizzo is expected to miss four to six weeks. The good news is he doesn't need surgery.

Rizzo wasn't exactly having a great season. He's slashing .223/.289/.341 with an OPS+ of 79. The only regular Yankees starter with a lower OPS is Oswaldo Cabrera. As rough as it's been for Rizzo, his presumptive replacement, DJ LeMahieu, is somehow having a worse time of it batting .188/.304/.188 in 15 games.

So, Aaron Boone is going to have to rely on Cabrera as a full-time third baseman and LeMahieu as a stand-in first baseman for the time being. It's not an encouraging prospect.

Anthony Rizzo absence strains Yankees in most concerning area

The Yankees have the best record in baseball despite the struggles of their infield but Rizzo's absence will stretch them thinner in an area of need. Taking a risk with a hot prospect could create the best outcome. Will NY be so bold?

Boone doesn't necessarily need to take any big swings while the likes of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are raking and his stellar pitching staff is dealing. That doesn't mean he shouldn't try, especially while he's got cushion.

Rizzo missed most of the 2023 season because of a neck injury he suffered during a collision at first base. His production cratered after that exit and he was later shut down for the season because he was showing post-concussion syndrome.

Losing time this season is plenty frustrating as he won't be able to continue working himself out of this funk. On the other hand, maybe a month or so away will help him reset and get back to his normal high-performing self. The Yankees are certainly hoping for the latter outcome.