Rizzo’s return up in the air
CHICAGO — When Anthony Rizzo went down in the infield grass at Wrigley Field, it looked bad for the big first baseman and the Cubs.
The result was somewhere in the middle.
Rizzo will wear a walking boot for the next five to seven days after an MRI showed he had a moderate lateral right ankle sprain.
“It certainly wasn’t the worst possible news,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said before Monday night’s game against the Reds. “He avoided any fracture. He avoided any type of damage to the joint that would require surgery.”
But Rizzo is running out of time, and the Cubs are fighting for a playoff spot in the NL Central and wild-card races.
“My body usually responds pretty well, so certainly not ruling it out,” Rizzo said when asked about returning this season. “I have every intention on trying to do everything I can with the training staff to get back on the field with the boys.”
The 30-year-old Rizzo had to be helped off the field after he got hurt while going to field a bunt in the third inning of Sunday’s 16-6 win over the Pirates.
He will be re-evaluated after he gets out of the walking boot. The team said it will know more about when he might be able to return at that point.
The loss of Rizzo is another big blow for the Cubs, who already are without Javier Baez after the All-Star shortstop broke his left thumb. Rizzo is batting .289 with 26 homers and a team-high 93 RBIs. The two-time Gold Glover also plays a major role in the team’s defense.