The New York Yankees will face the Kansas City Royals in the American League Division Series after the Baltimore Orioles collapsed in a pair of low-scoring affairs in the Wild Card Series.
New York has plenty of reasons to be confident about their chances. The Yankees won the season series against the Royals with a 5-2 record and they'll have home-field advantage throughout the ALDS matchup. As the top seed, the Yankees were afforded the luxury of a brief respite before the best-of-five series begins on Saturday in Yankee Stadium.
But the Royals shouldn't be taken lightly, especially after they put together a defensive masterclass in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs. The Orioles managed to score just one run through two games, and Kansas City improved to a 9-1 record in their past 10 postseason series.
With an opportunity to advance to the American League Conference Series, the Bronx Bombers are not as healthy as they would prefer to be. Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo is not expected to play in the ALDS.
Yankees manager Brian Cashman said Rizzo hasn't attempted baseball activities yet, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reported on Thursday.
Rizzo fractured the fourth and fifth fingers of his right hand after being hit by a pitch during Saturday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He initially remained in the game but was ultimately pulled in the eighth inning. The Yankees did not place him on the Injured List in hope that he would be able to return quickly, but the Yankees consider him a long shot to be ready for the series.
In a recent interview with MLB reporter Bill Ladson, Yankees manager Aaron Boone discussed the value Rizzo brought to the club's lineup this season.
"He has been so good since he has come back defensively," Boone said of Rizzo. "He has been an anchor for our defense over there. While he hasn’t hit for a ton of power like he has for most of his career, I feel like he has gotten a lot of big hits for us over the last few weeks. I do feel he has given us a lot of quality at-bats, especially hitting down in the order. So, it’s a blow. Plus, his gamesmanship, his moxie, his big-game experience — those are all valuable."
Boone said that rookie first baseman Ben Rice would step up to replace Rizzo, but he also mentioned Oswaldo Cabrera as "an outstanding utility player that can fill in." When Rizzo's injury initially occurred, the Yankees moved Cabrera to first base while Anthony Volpe came in at shortstop.
