Yankees' Anthony Rizzo Placed on IL After Experiencing Headaches from Epidural

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo will be placed on the injured list after experiencing headaches following an epidural last week, manager Aaron Boone announced Tuesday.

Boone had discussed the situation Monday, via Lou DiPietro of WFAN:

"Rizz is still at home; kind of doctor's orders to rest, just because he was getting some headaches from the epidural. Back is doing well, but they want him to rest and make sure he's asymptomatic from any of the headaches. None yesterday, none so far today, and if that's the case tomorrow, he can come in here Wednesday and start ramping up."

New York will call up first baseman Ronald Guzmán ahead of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins.

Rizzo, 33, is having another solid season, hitting .225/.339/.493 with 30 home runs and 71 RBI. But lingering back issues—a theme in the past few years—have cost him time.

The three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner was a staple for the Chicago Cubs from 2012 to 2021, a 10-year run that included the 2016 World Series title. Rizzo has posted nine seasons with more than 20 homers, five seasons with 30 or more dingers and four seasons with more than 100 RBI.

For a Cubs team that reached the postseason in five of his last six full years, Rizzo was a consistent source of production in a golden era.

But with the team struggling last season, Chicago dealt Rizzo to the Yankees. Mainstays Kris Bryant and Javier Báez were also traded.

Rizzo re-signed with the Yanks in the offseason and has played 117 games.

New York has struggled to score lately with three runs or fewer in eight of its past 10 games, which has led to a 4-6 record during that span. The Yankees have won two in a row and lead the American League East by five games, a margin that had reached 15.5 on July 8.

Rizzo last played Wednesday as a defensive replacement. He had hit a home run in each of the two previous games.

While Rizzo is sidelined, DJ LeMahieu and Marwin Gonzalez will likely get more work at first base, and Guzmán will also be an option.