First baseman Anthony Rizzo has been placed on the injured list with a fractured right forearm, and top prospect Ben Rice has been called up to fill his spot on the active roster. Rice’s promotion to the majors was announced on Tuesday.
The Yankees also placed right-handed pitchers Ian Hamilton and Cody Poteet on the 15-day injured list. Hamilton is dealing with a right lat strain, while Poteet has a right triceps strain. To replace them, left-handed pitchers Clayton Andrews and Anthony Misiewicz have been added to the roster.
Rizzo is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks due to his injury. During his absence, Rice, who is listed as both a catcher and infielder, is anticipated to spend most of his time at first base. Rice impressed at Triple-A with a .333 batting average, .440 on-base percentage, and a .619 slugging percentage over 11 games this season after moving up from Double-A.
Hamilton has struggled recently, with his ERA climbing to 4.55 after allowing seven earned runs in his last four innings. His initial success had seen him with a 2.81 ERA through his first 23 appearances.
Poteet, who had been effective with a 2.14 ERA in 21 innings since his promotion, faces a setback. He was filling in for Clarke Schmidt but will now be out for at least a few weeks due to his injury. With Gerrit Cole’s return imminent, Poteet might have been reassigned anyway, especially considering the Yankees’ strong rotation.
Andrews, who has made just one appearance for the Yankees this season, and Misiewicz, who has pitched for several teams since 2020, will now have the opportunity to contribute. Andrews has struggled at the MLB level, while Misiewicz has had a solid year in Triple-A.
The Yankees begin a critical three-game series against the Orioles on Tuesday night. The two teams are closely matched at the top of the American League East standings, with just 1.5 games separating them.
