Yankees’ Anthony Rizzo describes post-concussion symptoms, believes it’s reason behind struggles

Jul 15, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (48) in the middle of the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Something seemed amiss when Anthony Rizzo’s hot start in 2023 took a nosedive over the last two months, and now we likely know why.

The Yankees first baseman was not in the lineup yesterday or in the series opener against the Houston Astros on Thursday and it’s because he’s been put on the injured list due to post-concussion syndrome as a result from a collision he suffered back in May.

Rizzo spoke to the media prior to Thursday’s game and explained that he was complaining of a “fogginess” over the last few days. The team said he started to bring it up after the series finale with the Orioles — in which he went 0-for-5 with five strikeouts — and after he played the next two games against the Rays, the team made an appointment with a neurologist who confirmed that the infielder had suffered a concussion this season.

“When you struggle you look for answers,” Rizzo said. “It wasn’t more of the fogginess, which is somewhat normal throughout the baseball season, but it did feel a little different. It was more walking back [from the batter’s box] and saying ‘how did I miss that pitch?’

“The way I described it, you go to bed sober and wake up hungover. That doesn’t seem normal. Again, it’s Aug. 2. It’s the travel we go through. Am I just extra fatigued? Am I putting a lot of pressure on myself? And when you get the tests run it’s a little bit of relief. As a competitor you don’t want to let your team down.”

Rizzo collided with the Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. in a game on May 28. He passed MLB’s concussion protocols and after missing the Seattle Mariners series, returned June 2 against the Dodgers — a day before Aaron Judge’s injury.

Entering June, Rizzo was slashing .304/.376/.505 with 11 home runs and 32 RBI. Since the collision (46 games), he’s slashing .172/.271/.225 with one home run and nine RBI.

“In this game you try to figure out what’s going on when you’re struggling. I’ve done it for a long time,” Rizzo explained. “Usually there are signs of coming out. I remember talking to someone and they asked me if there were feelings of coming out and I’m saying ‘No I don’t. I couldn’t feel what you’re trying to feel.’ I guess now we can link two and two together.”

During his tests with the neurologist, it was discovered that Rizzo’s reaction time was slower than a normal person’s, which alarmed the first baseman. He says the symptoms hadn’t affected his play on the field or in his everyday life, and is even mentally able to play but the effect it’s had on his offense coupled with the risk of another collision worsening his condition made this new stint on the IL a no-brainer.

The doctors explained to Rizzo that not all concussions are the same and that sometimes symptoms don’t immediately appear but “cascade” over time, which is likely what happened here.

He says he’s not frightened and is starting a new regiment as well as taking supplements that have a high efficacy of treating concussions. He’s hoping this new program will get back in the lineup sooner rather than later but there’s no timetable for a return.

Rizzo said a few times that the tests gave him a silver lining, that his two-month struggle was likely caused by these post-concussion symptoms and that he can hopefully return to the hitter he was at the beginning of the year.

For the three-time All-Star, the hardest part about his condition is missing time with the team especially when they’re in the midst of a playoff push.

“As competitors you don’t want excuses. … That’s not who we are as competitors,” Rizzo said. “Even still, I feel like being injured or playing through a back, ankle injury in the past, your body adapts. Obviously with this I did everything I could. The hardest part is missing time because I want to be out there and playing, but also I want to play at a level that I know I’m capable of.”