Anthony Rizzo and Marcus Stroman are rejoining the Yankees for the ALCS.
The two veterans were added to the roster ahead of Game 1 against the Guardians on Monday, with Ben Rice and Duke Ellis coming off of it from the group of 26 players the Yankees used to beat the Royals in the ALDS.
The Yankees had also considered rushing back Nestor Cortes, who threw his first bullpen session Sunday since being diagnosed with a left elbow flexor strain, but he may be more realistic for the World Series if they make it there.
“He threw the ball well [in his bullpen session],” pitching coach Matt Blake previously said. “Pretty crisp. The [velocity’s] in a good spot, lot of shapes, command was good. Feel good about where he’s at.”
Rizzo showed enough improvement from the two fractured fingers he suffered on Sept. 28 to make it back for the ALCS.
Oswaldo Cabrera and Jon Berti had filled in well for him at first base during the ALDS, but Rizzo – one of two active Yankees to have won a World Series – could add an experienced presence in the field.
It remains to be seen what he can bring offensively, as he lacked power in September after coming back from a fractured forearm and now will be swinging with two fingers that may still be healing.
Rizzo previously said that if this were the regular season, the fractured fingers would have sidelined him for three to four weeks. Instead he is coming back in two.
Stroman, meanwhile, will offer length out of the bullpen. The right-hander only made one relief appearance after being moved to the bullpen in mid-September (and then making one more start when Cortes got injured).
Follow The Post’s coverage of the Yankees in the postseason:
- Yankees need this trio’s redemption tour to continue vs. Guardians after ALDS atonement
- Anthony Volpe embracing Yankees’ World Series expectations: ‘The standard’
- Two Yankees veterans return in ALCS roster shakeup
- The big four that make the Guardians a dangerous challenge for Yankees
He does not have the swing-and-miss stuff that teams typically lean on in the postseason, but faced hitters last week to stay stretched out if the Yankees need him.
Rice became expendable with Berti and Cabrera playing well at first and now Rizzo returning. Ellis, meanwhile, was only used as a pinch-runner once during the ALDS. Berti, Cabrera and Jasson Dominguez all offer speed off the bench in this series.
