There’s a scene in “Ghostbusters” where Bill Murray’s character rants about a surge of ghosts terrorizing New York City. He sums it up like this:
“Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria!”
The New York Yankees aren’t quite at that point. But Friday’s news surely felt for some in the organization like a light reminder of the brutal rash of injuries that tanked their 2023 season.
First baseman Anthony Rizzo became the latest star who was too hurt to play when he yanked himself out of the lineup about 20 minutes before a 5-3 win over the New York Mets at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday. The culprit: a tight left lat.
“It won’t be an issue for Opening Day,” Rizzo said. “That’s for sure.”
Manager Aaron Boone was a bit more cautious. He used the word “hopefully” when discussing whether Rizzo will be ready for the first game of the season against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on March 28.
“We’ve got to make sure we’re good (Saturday), the next day, see how it progresses,” Boone said. “Seems like something he’s had a lot in the past”.
Rizzo said he first started feeling pain in his lat on Thursday. It got worse Friday when he was warming up. He had been scheduled to hit fourth in the Yankees’ lineup.
It’s not the first time Rizzo has experienced the injury.
“For like the last 12 years, honestly,” he said.
He said that its recovery time can run a wide spectrum, and that in the past he might have pushed through the pain and made it worse.
He added, “I’m not going to risk it turning into something that can be really bad.”
