Yankees: Rizzo ‘got those jitters out of the way’ and paced Bombers’ victory with majestic blast

The New York Yankees won 3-1 against the Marlins in Miami, in Anthony Rizzo’s first game with the Bombers. Baseball is magical, so guess who was the star performer of the night? Yes, the former Chicago Cub.

Rizzo came to the Yankees the night before deadline day, in exchange for prospects Kevin Alcantara and Alexander Vizcaino, and made an immediate impact on his Friday debut, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run, and two runs scored.

In the sixth inning against Zach Thompson, he deposited a 1-0 pitch into the stands, in a mammoth home run that traveled 449 feet and left the bat at 112 mph.

“It was amazing,” Rizzo said to MLB.com. “Coming in, getting the first at-bat out of the way … and kind of getting those jitters out of the way.”

Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone said Rizzo’s homer was ‘electrifying’

Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone was impressed with what he saw from his new player.

“When you [have] those no-doubters, especially in a close game at the time, there is a little rush of adrenaline when you [kind of say], ‘Ooh.’ It is exciting,” Boone said. “It is something that lights up the dugout. Obviously, him being the player that he is, coming in his first day and getting that kind of hit was pretty cool. It definitely electrified the guys a little bit.”

After his sixth inning homer, he scored again in the eighth frame, on a two-run single by Rougned Odor.

The Yankees’ lineup takes a whole new meaning with their two left-handed hitting additions, Joey Gallo and Rizzo. Both came to the team before the trade deadline and both have a similar profile: power and patience.

They are starting to pay dividends, especially Rizzo, and their presence makes the Yankees much stronger as they try to secure a spot in the postseason.