The New York Yankees added first baseman Anthony Rizzo and right-hander Marcus Stroman to their American League Championship Series roster on Monday.
The Guardians added right-hander Pedro Avila to their roster before the teams opened the ALCS on Monday night in New York.
Rizzo returns more than two weeks after fracturing two fingers on a hit-by-pitch on the penultimate day of the regular season against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Yankees dropped first baseman Ben Rice and outfielder Duke Ellis from roster to add Rizzo and Stroman.
The addition of Avila gives the Guardians 13 pitchers. Outfielder Angel Martinez was left off the roster after being part of the ALDS for the Guardians.
Rizzo, 35, returned to the Yankees on Sept. 1 after being sidelined for 2 1/2 months with a fractured right forearm. He batted .228 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 92 games this season. He was a three-time All-Star for the Chicago Cubs earlier in his career. Rizzo has 303 career homers over 14 seasons.
Stroman, 33, went 10-9 with a 4.31 ERA in his first season with the Yankees, making 29 starts and one relief appearance.
Avila, 27, went 6-1 with a 3.25 ERA in 54 relief appearances for Cleveland and San Diego in 2024, striking out 82 in 82 2/3 innings. The Guardians purchased Avila from the Padres in April.
