Bronx, NY – August 10, 2024 – New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera suffered a torn Achilles tendon during teh team’s Old-Timers’ Day game at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, requiring hospitalization, according to reports. The injury occurred during the exhibition game before the yankees’ 5-4 victory over the Houston Astros.

The Old-Timers’ Day game, revived for the first time since 2019, featured a roster of former Yankees stars. Seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, speaking to WFAN’s Suzyn Waldman, initially believed the injury was a hamstring strain but later learned it was a more serious Achilles rupture. Rivera was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment.

This marks the second injury to a former player during the event since 2017, when Paul O’Neill, now a YES Network analyst, strained his calf while running the bases.

rivera, a cornerstone of the Yankees’ dynasty, previously sustained a significant knee injury in May 2012, tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during batting practice in Kansas City.He remarkably returned for the 2013 season, ultimately retiring as baseball’s all-time saves leader with 652 regular-season saves and adding 42 more in the postseason.

The iconic closer was unanimously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019, receiving all 425 votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. He played a pivotal role in the Yankees’ five World Series championships (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009) and seven American League pennants.

Saturday’s Old-Timers’ Game was Rivera’s second appearance; he famously hit an inside-the-park home run during the 2019 edition. The event also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 2000 Yankees team, the last to achieve a three-peat of World Series titles.

Clemens, attending the Old-Timers’ Day game for the first time, witnessed a video message from former Yankees captain Derek Jeter following Rivera’s introduction. The event drew an estimated crowd of over 40,000 to Yankee Stadium.

Prior to the game, Rivera had expressed his intention to offer support to current Yankees reliever Devin Williams, who has struggled recently. Williams has yielded nine runs in his last five appearances and 28 earned runs this season, exceeding his combined total from the 2022 and 2023 seasons. rivera emphasized the importance of confidence for pitchers, stating, “If your not confident in yourself, you’re playing the wrong sport.”