Anthony Rizzo Injury Update: Yankees first baseman hopeful of Opening Day start after minor setback

The New York Yankees have already faced a series of unlucky events this year, even before their Opening Day. This time, news has emerged about Anthony Rizzo.

Rizzo made a strong impression in the Grapefruit League, where he had nine RBIs and two home runs with a batting average of .412 in 14 games. He was looking healthy to start his season on Opening Day. But just before today's game against the New York Mets, Rizzo was pulled out of the lineup.

Rizzo was initially named as first baseman before the game but was later replaced by Luis Torrens. According to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the Yes Network that there is nothing to be concerned about.

“Aaron Boone on @YESNetwork about Anthony Rizzo's tight lat: "He didn't seem too concerned with it. He said it's something he has every now and then during the season, but just wanted to be certain," Kuty tweeted.

Rizzo is strongly optimistic about his return for the team's Opening Day.

“I’m fully confident I’ll be in there opening day,” said Rizzo, according to Meredith Marakovits.

Rizzo missed the latter part of the season last year due to post-concussion symptoms. He had 41 RBIs and 12 home runs with a batting average of .244 in 99 games.

Yankees players who'll or may miss the Opening Day

The New York Yankees are facing a difficult phase at the beginning of the season. While their rotation is becoming a bigger concern, they have multiple players who are injured or at risk of becoming injured.

At the top of the list is the team's reigning Cy Young winner, Gerrit Cole. He sustained an elbow injury after playing just one spring training game and is expected to take a break of at least two months before resuming his training and even longer before returning to the game.

Shortstop Oswald Peraza has also been sidelined for at least six weeks due to a strain in his right shoulder. He was expected to become a permanent member of the infield this year, but due to his injury, the management is currently looking for a replacement.

Aaron Judge also took a break from the Spring Training games to ensure he is in top shape for the regular season. Although he is reportedly ready for Opening Day, his fitness is still in question as he did not have much impact during the Grapefruit League.

The Yankees' third baseman, DJ LeMahieu, is also uncertain as he focuses on recovering from his foot pain. Meanwhile, Rizzo is facing concerning news ahead of Opening Day.

Whether the Yankees will look for substitutes from their farm system or trade market remains to be seen. But it will be a challenging season if these players take extended breaks in the future.