Yankees’ Anthony Rizzo a ‘long shot’ for ALDS return as Ben Rice gets called up

The Yankees turned to Ben Rice to play first base for a large chunk of the year earlier in the season.

They may be forced to again in October.

With uncertainty surrounding Anthony Rizzo’s health heading into the postseason after he fractured two fingers on his right hand Saturday, the Yankees recalled Rice from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for Sunday’s regular season finale against Pittsburgh in The Bronx.

The rookie started at first base in a 6-4 win before Aaron Boone called Rizzo being available for the ALDS, which begins this coming Saturday, as “very much a long shot” after he was drilled by a pitch.

Anthony Rizzo reacts as he walks back to the dugout after striking looking during the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday, Sept. 25.Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

Still, instead of putting Rizzo on the injured list Sunday, the Yankees optioned right-hander Scott Effross to SWB.

The move allowed the Yankees to buy some time, according to Boone, to see if Rizzo can make an unexpectedly quick recovery.

“We want to see these days unfold and, by the middle [or] end of the week, what he’s capable of doing to see if it’s even a possibility,” Boone said.

Rizzo called suffering the injury so close to the playoffs “awful timing.”

He’ll get treatment for much of the week before trying to see if he can withstand the discomfort as Saturday approaches.

“We’ll see how it goes and then be honest with the team,” Rizzo said. “I’m not gonna try to come and play if I can’t.”

It’s the latest setback for Rizzo, who missed a significant part of the season with a fractured right forearm before returning early this month.

If Rizzo is unable to play in the first round of the playoffs, the Yankees could turn to Rice or Oswaldo Cabrera to fill in at first.

Rice showed his unfamiliarity at the position Sunday with a high toss to Ian Hamilton on a Nick Gonzalez grounder in the seventh that went for an error on Rice.

He also went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts after going 2-for-35 in his previous 14 games with the Yankees.

Rice ended the year hitting well at SWB before spending much of the last week at the team’s complex in Tampa, Fla., following the conclusion of the minor league season.

DJ LeMahieu is still working his way back from a hip impingement and has slumped for almost the entire year, even when healthy.

Boone also noted that Trent Grisham and Jon Berti have taken grounders at first, but the manager said they liked how Rice hit after he was sent back to Triple-A and that they were comfortable with playing Cabrera anywhere on the diamond.

Ben Rice reacts after striking out during the third inning against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.AP

Since the Yankees have the luxury of nearly a week off, Boone said they would look at several different options to potentially take over for Rizzo.

As for Rice, Boone said it was “important to get him in there [Sunday]. He could be playing a big role for us.”

The 25-year-old Rice hit well for most of the first few weeks after he was called up in June after Rizzo’s arm injury but mostly struggled at the plate for the final month he was in The Bronx before Rizzo returned Sept. 1.