Anthony Rizzo Heading to IL, Ronald Guzmán Joining Yankees

Headaches landed sidelined Rizzo following a back injury.

First it was Anthony Rizzo’s back. Then headaches contributed to the first baseman’s absence.

Now the Yankees will place Rizzo on the injured list, manager Aaron Boone announced Tuesday after New York’s game against the Twins was postponed. Ronald Guzmán will take Rizzo’s spot when the move becomes official. The Yankees will have to make a 40-man roster move for Guzmán.

“Frankly, I don’t think it’s anything back-related now,” Boone said of Rizzo. “It’s just dealing with getting headaches and stuff. He’s still under doctor’s orders to kind of rest.”

Rizzo, who last played on Aug. 31, recently received an epidural for his back before experiencing headaches. The Yankees haven’t confirmed that the headaches were caused by the epidural, and Boone said Rizzo will undergo more tests.

Once Rizzo is ready for baseball activities again, Boone anticipates he will need a few days of ramping up.

Rizzo, who dealt with a back issue earlier this season, has had a streaky but power-heavy season. The 33-year-old is hitting .225/.339/.493 with 30 homers and 71 RBI.

Guzmán meanwhile, has spent the entire year with the Yankees organization at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He’s played well there after singing a minor league deal with New York in March, hitting .260/.357/.466 with 12 home runs and 39 RBI.

Guzmán has been on fire recently, slashing .370/.439/.740 with eight homers and 25 RBI since July 12. He’s also been trying to become a two-way player, though he’s yet to take the mound in a professional game.

Ronald Guzmán has been in a groove recently. Over his last 30 games, he’s batting .370/.439/.740 (1.179 OPS) with eight home runs and 13 doubles.

In his quest to also become a pitcher, he’s progressed to one live batting practice session and another side off the main mound.

— Conor Foley (@ConorFoleyYES) September 6, 2022

A left-handed hitter, Guzmán has played first base and the left field throughout his career, though he’s only played first for the RailRiders.

Guzmán has 243 games of MLB experience, all with the Rangers. He hit 26 homers from 2018-2019 – including three in one game against the Yankees – but only played in 33 big league contests the next two years. Guzmán tore his meniscus in his right knee in April 2021.

MORE:

• Aaron Judge Smacks 54th Home Run, Leads Yankees to Win Over Twins
• Andrew Benintendi Has Broken Bone in Wrist, Season With Yankees Could Be Over
• Target Date Set For Harrison Bader’s Rehab Assignment

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