New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is hinting at the return of a key player for the team’s ALCS run. Boone thinks Anthony Rizzo may be able to come back for the series against the Cleveland Guardians, per ESPN. The infielder Rizzo has been in and out of the lineup since the summer due to arm and finger issues.

The Yankees host the Guardians in Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday. New York took care of business against the Kansas City Royals, without Rizzo. Cleveland comes in after defeating the Detroit Tigers in five games.

The Yankees have a lot of depth on the roster which has helped them offset the loss of Rizzo. This season, the infielder is hitting .228 with 35 runs batted in. He is expected to go through baseball activities on Sunday, in the hope that he can go on Monday’s game or later in the series.

The Yankees look to do something it hasn’t done since 2009

New York is looking for its first World Series title since the 2009 season, when it starts playing the Guardians Monday. The Yankees have put together an impressive amount of performances this season, returning to the postseason after a disappointing 2023 campaign.

The Yankees seemed inspired by the roster changes this year. New York brought in Juan Soto and Jazz Chisholm, to help out Aaron Judge and company. Judge had a terrific season, posting single-season Yankees hitting records. Due to all of this outstanding offensive play, the team won the American League East.

Rizzo is one of the leaders in the locker room, as he is one of the most experienced players for the Yankees. The first baseman usually provides excellent defense in the team’s infield. He’s been in the Big Apple since 2021, but has years of experience playing with the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres.

The team used Oswaldo Cabrera and Jon Berti at first in the ALDS against Kansas City. The players were able to provide the work needed to lift New York.