The greatest closer in baseball history – the New York Yankees’ Mariano Rivera — might have pitched his last game because of a serious knee injury suffered while attempting to catch a fly ball prior to a game Thursday night in Kansas City.
The 42-year-old Rivera, who has a record 608 career saves, suffered a torn ACL and a torn meniscus in his right knee after he fell awkwardly to the ground on the warning track. There had been speculation if this would be his last year. This injury could very well signal the end of a Hall of Fame career.
“At this point, I don’t know. At this point, I don’t know,” said a solemn River, a 12-time all-star. “Going to have to face this first. It all depends on how the rehab is going to happen, and from there, we’ll see.”
He described the incident this way: “I got myself between the grass and the dirt, and I couldn’t pull my leg up and twisted my knee. ACL. Torn. Broken. Meniscus, also. I thought it wasn’t that bad. I mean, I was walking a little bit. But, uh, it’s torn. I have to fix it.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if I see him back here next year,” shortstop Derek Jeter said.
