The New York Yankees revived their Old-Timers’ Day game for the first time since 2019, but the event took a tough turn for one of the franchise’s legends. Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera suffered a torn Achilles while attempting to catch a fly ball.
Before the injury, Rivera had stepped up to the plate once and singled off former teammate Andy Pettitte. His agent confirmed that Rivera is scheduled to undergo surgery this week, according to the Associated Press.
This isn’t the first time Rivera has been injured while playing the outfield. In 2012, he tore his ACL while shagging fly balls during batting practice, sidelining him for the rest of that season.
Rivera is widely regarded as one of the greatest relief pitchers in MLB history. He retired as the all-time leader in saves with 652 and remains the only player unanimously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was also instrumental in the Yankees’ five World Series titles during his career, including the 1998–2000 championship run. Saturday’s Old-Timers’ Day marked the 25th anniversary of the 2000 championship team.
While many MLB teams honor former players, the Yankees are unique in consistently hosting a full-fledged Old-Timers’ game, a fan-favorite tradition during the regular season.
Prior to the game, Rivera mentioned he intended to offer some advice to current Yankees closer Devin Williams, who has been facing recent struggles on the mound.
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