Anthony Rizzo takes big step after injury in Yankees rehab assignment

Anthony Rizzo took a significant step back toward the Yankees on Friday night and could potentially return in the first week of September.

More than two months after suffering a fracture in his right forearm, the veteran first baseman began rehab at Double-A Somerset in Portland, Maine.

Rizzo is expected to appear only as a DH in at least his first four rehab games – scheduled for Friday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday – before possibly being used on the field next weekend.

Manager Aaron Boone said Friday he didn't think Rizzo “would need that much playing time,” leaving open the possibility that he could rejoin the Yankees at some point during their road tour of Texas and Chicago in the first week of September.

“Upset [about] how he looks and feels,” Boone said Friday at Yankee Stadium before opening a series against the Rockies. “Just seeing him live, [batting practice] last week I thought he looked really good. He's feeling really good, so I think he's really encouraged. He's been running a lot, he's been able to be in the weight room and things like that.”

Before Rizzo was injured at Fenway Park on June 16, he wasn't a great hitter – he had a .223 batting average and .630 OPS in 70 games – but his experience as a left-handed hitter could help him down the stretch.

The Yankees got immediate help from Ben Rice after he was called up to replace Rizzo, but the rookie has faded over the past month and DJ LeMahieu has continued to struggle.

Since Rizzo's absence, the combined OPS of the Yankees' first basemen has been .574, the second-lowest in the major leagues during that period.

Clarke Schmidt (latency strain) also began rehab training with Somerset on Friday night. He threw 3 ²/₃ innings with 48 pitches, striking out six players, walking one and allowing a solo home run, the only hit he allowed.

The right-hander has been out of action since May 27 but hopes to return to the Yankees' rotation in September after posting a 2.52 ERA in 11 starts before his injury.

The rotation is shorthanded after Luis Gil landed on the injured list on Wednesday with a lower back strain, but the right-hander played catcher on Friday.

Will Warren, called up to replace Gil's injury, will start Saturday's game against the Rockies, giving Marcus Stroman an extra day of rest before starting on Sunday.

Jon Berti (calf strain) was supposed to start his rehab in Somerset on Friday along with Schmidt and Rizzo, but his flight to Portland on Thursday evening was cancelled and he then had problems getting his luggage there on Friday.

Instead, the infielder was supposed to train there on Friday and begin his rehab on Saturday.

Dylan Crews, baseball's third-best prospect according to MLB.com, will be called up by the Nationals on Monday to make his MLB debut against the Yankees, according to multiple reports Friday.