Yankees' Anthony Rizzo exits game vs. Red Sox with right arm injury

BOSTON – Anthony Rizzo exited Sunday night’s game at Fenway Park, after being tangled up while running to first base.

Wincing on the ground, the Yankees’ lefty-hitting veteran first baseman was flexing his right hand and holding his wrist after taking a hard tumble in the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox.

At the time, Boston held a one-run lead. From there, the Red Sox sprinted to a 9-3 victory, running wild with franchise record nine stolen bases in one game.

Rizzo was diagnosed with a right lower arm injury according to the Yankees. He's due to be examined further Monday in New York and will undergo tests, including X-rays and an MRI.

An initial fluoroscope reading at the ballpark came back negative, but “he’s in some pain,’’ Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Rizzo, who was unavailable after the game.

Boone became worried when Rizzo, with a noted high tolerance for pain, “didn’t get up right away. Obviously concern there (but) hopefully, we dodged something.’’

Yankees concern for Anthony Rizzo's condition

With runners at first and second, none out, and Boston leading 4-3, Rizzo tapped a grounder to first baseman Dom Smith, who momentarily lost his grip on the ball, losing a play at second base.

Instead, Smith tossed to pitcher Brennan Bernardino covering first base.

Smith's errant toss led Bernardino directly into Rizzo's path and their collision caused Rizzo to tumble hard into foul ground, where he writhed in pain for an uncomfortably long period.

"You don’t see that from Riz, usually,'' said close friend and Yankees captain Aaron Judge, citing Rizzo's pain tolerance as the active leader in being hit by pitches. "He’s tough. I think he’ll be fine.''

Judge was speaking hopefully, adding that he wasn't certain of Rizzo's condition. After being checked on by Boone and an athletic trainer, Rizzo left the game for pinch-runner Oswaldo Cabrera.

"Yeah, I think we all are (concerned),'' said Marcus Stroman as they await Monday's medical test results. "Rizzo’s our guy.''

Jose Trevino felt "the play was kind of weird.''

"I don't know, there might have been some extra pushing and shoving there at the end, I don't know,'' a suggestion that Bernardino, in part, might have intentionally contacted Rizzo.

"I don't know how Rizzo fell. I don't know if he fell on his own or how that was,'' said Trevino. "Got to look at the replay.''

Smith was credited with a throwing error on the play, which loaded the bases, but reliever Zack Kelly would get out of the jam by striking out Gleyber Torres and Trevino and getting DJ LeMahieu on a lineout to center.

Yankees' potential fill-in options at first base

Despite the Yankees’ first place standing, it’s been a rough season for Rizzo (0-for-3), batting .223 with a .630 OPS in 70 games.

Rizzo was benched two straight games last week, when he was 1-for-29 in his first seven games of June, part of a 13-for-89 stretch (.146) with just two extra-base hits from May 14 through June 9.

If Rizzo had to be placed on the injured list, the Yankees could go with DJ LeMahieu at first base and Oswaldo Cabrera at third base.

Deeper replacement options at Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre include lefty hitters T.J. Rumfield and Ben Rice, though neither is on the 40-man roster, and utility infielder Kevin Smith.

Rumfield, a first baseman, is batting .305 with five homers, 34 RBI and an .811 OPS in 48 games.

One of the organization’s top hitting prospects, Rice has split time at catcher and first base, batting .275 with 15 homers, 36 RBI and a .925 OPS in 60 combined games at Class AA Somerset and Scranton, with his last 11 games following his Triple-A promotion.

LeMahieu switched to first base following Rizzo’s injury Sunday, with Cabrera inserted at third base.

The Yankees could also potentially recall Oswald Peraza, though he’s batting just .169 with one homer, nine RBI and a .528 OPS in 24 games since missing time due to a shoulder strain in spring training.

Last year, Rizzo played a significant amount of time with post-concussion symptoms that went undiagnosed until his season effectively ended Aug. 1.

Rizzo, 34, is in the final guaranteed year of his Yankees contract, with a club option for $17 million or a $6 million buyout.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees' Anthony Rizzo exits game vs. Red Sox with right arm injury