Hall of Famer and legendary New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera was hospitalized in New York after injuring himself during the team’s old-timer’s day festivities on Saturday.
Former teammate Roger Clemens revealed the distressing news after what had been an enjoyable day at Yankee Stadium, where the Bronx Bombers defeated the visiting Houston Astros, 5-4, while celebrating the club’s 2000 World Series title.
‘It was a fun day until we just heard about Mariano,’ Clemens told New York’s WFAN. ‘Mariano hurt his Achilles. I don’t know what was going on. We all thought it was a hamstring, but I think it’s a little worse than that.’
Asked by radio announcer Dave Sims if the 55-year-old Rivera heard a ‘pop,’ Clemens responded: ‘I think so.’
‘I think he’s at the hospital now,’ Clemens, 63, added.
A Yankees spokesperson has since confirmed Rivera’s Achilles injury.
Hall of Famer and legendary New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera was hospitalized in New York after inuring himself during the team’s old-timer’s day festivities on Saturday
Ex-Yankees ace Roger Clemens (22) throws ahead of the Yankees Old-Timers’ Day ceremony
Damon tied his long hair into a bun, which is something he never had to do with the Yanks
It’s unclear when or how the injury occurred, but Rivera did see some game action on Saturday, singling off former teammate Andy Pettie in a brief exhibition.
That shot to left was particularly memorable considering Rivera never got a hit in his career, going 0-for-3 with a bases-loaded walk to officially retire with one RBI.
Rivera’s injury wasn’t the only interesting news from Yankees old-timer’s day, where many fans were stunned to see Johnny Damon’s long hair. The former Yankees outfielder famously trimmed his locks when he left the Boston Red Sox for New York in 2006.
But now, with the Yankees changing their long-held grooming policies to allow for long hair and bears, Damon couldn’t resist sporting a caveman look in pinstripes.
‘Johnny Damon looks like somebody who is about to play Johnny Damon for a Yankees comedy movie,’ read an X post from the betting website, Pickswise.
‘Why does Johnny Damon look like the runner-up in a Johnny Damon look-a-like contest?’ read a similar post from Action Network.
At one point Damon tied his hair into a bun for an interview with SNY.
‘I’m just trying to figure out what to do with my hair because it was not allowed when I played, at least I came back clean shaven, but the hair is a mess right now, so I’m doing my best to keep it up and out of my face,’ he said.
