The New York Yankees announced Monday that first baseman Anthony Rizzo and right-hander Marcus Stroman will be on roster for the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians.
Rookie first baseman Ben Rice and outfielder Duke Ellis were removed.
Rizzo was left off the American League Division Series roster versus the Kansas City Royals after breaking the fourth and fifth fingers on his right hand on Sept. 28. However, he's scheduled to start at first and will hit eighth for the opening game of the ALCS.
"It's just pain," Rizzo said, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "It's temporary, and the 50,000 people in the stands and the adrenaline and what's at stake is going to outweigh any pain I'll be feeling."
The 35-year-old three-time All-Star went deep eight times with 35 RBIs and a .637 OPS over 92 games this season after missing over two months with a fractured forearm.
Meanwhile, the addition of Stroman gives the team's ALCS rotation more depth. The Yankees already said left-hander Carlos Rodón will start Monday's Game 1, while ace Gerrit Cole gets Game 2, rookie Luis Gil is penciled in for Game 3, and right-hander Clarke Schmidt starts Game 4.
Stroman authored a 4.31 ERA with 1.47 WHIP and 113 strikeouts over 154 2/3 innings (29 starts) during the regular season.
