Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo was recently placed on the injured list. Here's what to know about his concussion timeline.
On Thursday, the New York Yankees placed first baseman Anthony Rizzo on the 10-day injured list with post-concussion syndrome. The following is a brief description of Rizzo's concussion timeline dating back to when he allegedly suffered the injury in the first place.
May 28
Rizzo is believed to have suffered his concussion in a game against the San Diego Padres when he collided with Fernando Tatis Jr.
On a pickoff attempt at first base, Tatis' hip/ upper leg banged into Rizzo's head. If this is the correct date, it would mean his concussion went undiagnosed for over two months.
After that game, Rizzo passed the MLB's concussion protocols, and nothing more was made of it.
July 28 – July 30
Rizzo first complained about "fogginess" during the Yankees-Orioles series this past weekend, in which he happened to record the first five-strikeout game in his career. No action appeared to be taken.
July 31 – August 1
On Monday and Tuesday, Rizzo played in two more games before being sent for further neurological testing. The test results showed signs of cognitive impairment in line with concussion symptoms.
Two days later, Rizzo was placed on the injured list.
Since his collision with Tatis, he has played in 46 games and missed three games due to other factors.
So far this season, Rizzo is slashing .244/.328/.378 with 12 homers and 41 RBIs in 99 games.
Yankees: Anthony Rizzo concussion timeline revealed
Currently, Rizzo is taking supplements to treat his concussion, and barring any setbacks, he should make a full recovery.
Due to to fickle nature of head injuries, there's no exact return date for him yet.
"They said it could be a week, it could be two weeks. They don't know. But for me, I think it takes all the stress out of wondering now. Now you know there's a treatment plan. My body usually responds really well to that in the past."
The difference between Rizzo's production pre-May 28 and after May 28 is like night and day.
Prior to the collision with Tatis, Rizzo slashed .304/.376/.505 with 11 home runs and 32 RBIs along with an .880 OPS.
After the collision, he slashed .172/.271/.225 with one homer and nine RBIs and a .496 OPS, the worst batting percentage and OPS in the MLB among qualified players.
In the aftermath, many questions are being raised about how the Yankees could have missed Rizzo's concussion diagnosis as well as how the MLB's concussion protocols could have let Rizzo return to the field so quickly back in May.
Concussions left untreated can lead to frightening consequences, as is evident in Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's traumatic experience early in the 2022 season. Until more updates about Rizzo's health status come out, Yankees fans should consider Rizzo week-to-week.
