Yankees' Veteran Named Player 'Who'll Have Biggest Impact' in Postseason Race

This New York Yankees' veteran struggled before getting injured, but might be a big help moving forward.

Jun 16, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (48) trips on Boston Red Sox pitcher Brennan Bernardino (not pictured) and rolls on the ground during the seventh inning at Fenway Park. / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees have started to play better baseball after struggling for much of the past two months, a promising sign as they look to win the American League East.

After starting the season as arguably the best team in Major League Baseball, the Yankees lost their lead in the division. It was disappointing for multiple reasons, but if they end up winning the division and perform in the postseason, everybody will forget about the struggles they dealt with in June and July. 

New York is a tough place to play, but their fans have simple expectations. Anything that falls short of a World Series is viewed as a disappointment, and whether that's right or wrong, every player on the Yankees enters the year understanding the stakes.

They dealt with some injuries throughout their tough stretch, but it might not have been the exact reason why they struggled prior to the past 10 games. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is now back, but first baseman Anthony Rizzo is still out.

Rizzo, who was having a rough year, fractured his right arm on June 16. It's uncertain when he's going to return, and even when he does, there's a chance that he won't see much playing time given the promise that rookie Ben Rice has shown at first base.

He was slashing .223/.289/.341 with eight home runs in 264 at-bats. His defense at first base was also below average, which isn't typical of the four-time Gold Glove winner. 

However, despite some of those struggles, Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report believes he'll be one of the players who'll have the biggest impact on the 2024 playoff race. With New York in a tight battle with the Baltimore Orioles for the division, he's viewed as somebody who could potentially make an impact. 

"Rizzo had already been in a five-week-long funk prior to suffering a broken arm. But maybe he could return from his injury with a rejuvenated flourish on par with what Xander Bogaerts has done for the Padres since missing nearly two months with a fractured shoulder? At any rate, Rizzo can't make things much worse for the Yankees offense, as after his initial flourish, Ben Rice is batting .130 dating back to July 7."

If the Yankees get the Rizzo of old, they'll be in an excellent position moving forward. It's unlikely that he'll return and be much better than he was before this rough injury, but he does have a track record.

He hasn't played well dating all the way back to the concussion he suffered last season in late-May, but he's a proven professional who's been a big piece to some really good teams.