New York Yankees locked horns with Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Thursday for the series opener. Aaron Judge, the captain, was up in his original spot in the right field, whereas Anthony Rizzo played as the DH. The offense has been the root cause of concern for the Yankees this season, as key players are crowding the IL on a daily basis.
Nonetheless, the batter broke the jinx as they stepped up to avoid a series wash against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday after piling up 12 runs in total. Moreover, the Yankees carried forward the momentum on the following day as they crushed the Rangers by 4-2 and went one up in the three-game series. However, a controversial strike call during the top of the second inning angered the skipper, Aaron Boone.
Anthony Rizzo Receives Wrong Strike Call, Yankees Skipper Gives A Mouthful To Umpires
The New York Yankees’ explosive baseman, Anthony Rizzo, has struggled with his form lately. His numbers do not do justice to the reputation he has built over the years. Meanwhile, Rizzo received a perfect opportunity to score against the Texas Rangers on Thursday. At the top of the second innings, with all bases loaded, the baseman stepped on the plate, poised to score an RBI. However, the umpires denied him that opportunity.
Anthony Rizzo batting at 3-2, received his third strike over a pitch that clearly landed outside the strike zone. However, the umpires saw otherwise and called it a strike which ended the Yankees’ inning and an opportunity to add another run to the tally. The controversial call did not sit well with Yankees skipper Aaron Boone. He dropped an F-bomb on the umpires and unleashed his rage with not-so-kind words. The match officials, on the other hand, ignored Boone’s animated strong reaction and resumed the game. Regardless, the wrong call did not cost the Yankees much, as Gerrit Cole’s stellar outing led to a 4-2 win over the Rangers.
Yankees First Baseman Sets An Unwanted Record
The New York Yankees baseman, Anthony Rizzo, took exception to Vladimir Guerrero Jr‘s aggressive stare at Greg Weissert after being hit by a pitch. Rizzo said it’s just part of the game, and Greg certainly did not pitch it intentionally. However, personally, the baseman has some vast unwanted experience in that field. His HBP (times hit by a pitch) stands at 205, the most among the current active players in MLB. Even this season, he has received blows four times already.
Speaking on the unwanted record, Anthony Rizzo said that he does not mind being hit as long as he can get on the base. It’s just part of the game, and securing the bases remains the top priority for him. Looks like the technique is working for him. His on-base percentage this season remains as high as .411. Overall, the baseman has had a good start to the 2023 season with .290, five homers, and 13 RBIs in 93 at-bats. The Yankees would hope Rizzo continues to play with the current form amid incessant injury concerns.