Back on baseball's biggest stage, Rizzo allows grit to guide him

NEW YORK -- When Anthony Rizzo made his case to return to the Yankees' roster despite a pair of fractured fingers on his right hand, the veteran first baseman stressed that he could help his club to the World Series, a belief proven correct with a strong American League Championship Series.

Having played in one of the most memorable World Series in recent memory, the Cubs’ curse-snapping 2016 triumph over Cleveland, Rizzo is thankful for the opportunity to return to this stage in what should be a blockbuster Fall Classic against the Dodgers.

“It feels really good to be back,” Rizzo said on Wednesday as the Bombers prepared for their flight west to Los Angeles. “We’ve had such a great year, an up-and-down year, but the team has really come together. To be back in the World Series is special.”

It was just 3 1/2 weeks ago that Rizzo howled in agony at Yankee Stadium, having been hit on the right hand by a pitch during a Sept. 28 game against the Pirates in the second-last game of the regular season. The timing was terrible, and as Rizzo shook his hand walking to first base, he feared the worst.

When an X-ray confirmed the fractures, the Yankees pivoted to start Jon Berti and Oswaldo Cabrera against the Royals in the AL Division Series. The relative neophytes performed well and, watching from the dugout, Rizzo steeled himself for a potential return to play if the club advanced.

The fingers would not heal in time for the ALCS, doctors told Rizzo, but he could not do any further damage. It would be a pain-tolerance issue, an area where Rizzo -- who leads all active Major Leaguers with 222 career hit-by-pitches -- believes that he excels.

“The biggest thing is just getting the swelling out between games. It really blows up from the pressure,” Rizzo said. “The bones are still broken, but just to be able to get the swelling out has been key. Hopefully, during the Series, we’ll be able to manage it as best we can.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged that he wasn’t sure what to expect from Rizzo offensively, considering he hadn’t faced live pitching until Game 1 of that ALCS.

The Yankees were thrilled to discover that Rizzo was no automatic out; far from it, in fact. In the five games against Cleveland, Rizzo went 6-for-14 (.429) with a double and two walks.

“I can’t even believe it, to be honest with you,” said catcher Austin Wells. “It’s a pretty incredible thing, to have two broken bones in your hand and go out there and do what he’s been able to do. I think it just shows how tough he is, the character he has and his willingness to be out there, to go through whatever it takes to help the team win.”

Rizzo said that the adrenaline of playing meaningful games in front of packed houses has helped mask the discomfort, with help from a cocktail of pain relievers.

“I expected to contribute,” Rizzo said. “Toward the end of the year, I felt really good with my swing and where I was at mechanically. I was a little nervous with the hand, just getting the right chemistry going for it, I guess. But as far as going out and playing, these are the best moments to play for. This is what you dream of.”

So Rizzo is back at the final level, offering a valuable presence in the lineup and the dugout. He provides perspective for younger teammates; after the Guardians rallied to win ALCS Game 3 at Progressive Field, Rizzo remarked, “I’ve been standing directly on that field when they tied a game on a big home run. Thankfully, it wasn’t Game 7.”

He was referring to the final game of the 2016 World Series, when Cleveland’s Rajai Davis hit a game-tying home run in the eighth inning against Rizzo’s Cubs, only for Chicago to win in extra innings following a rain delay. There were times when Rizzo wondered if he’d ever get back here. The long wait has taught him to appreciate every second of the journey.

“Never, ever, have I taken any champagne celebration for granted, to get to the playoffs or the next round,” Rizzo said. “You just don’t know when these opportunities will arise. You’ve got to make the best of it.”