Mariano Rivera Seriously Injured During Yankees Alumni Game

For the first time in six years, Yankee Stadium brought back a tradition many fans thought they might never see again.

On Saturday afternoon, before the Yankees faced the Houston Astros, the team hosted its Old Timers’ Game, a celebration of former stars and franchise legends. The event had been a yearly highlight until the COVID-19 pandemic forced its cancellation in 2020. Since then, the team has spent years adjusting the format before announcing its return last month.

Fans filled the stands early to watch a roster of Yankee greats take the field, including Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera and seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens. The crowd, buzzing with nostalgia, got to see some of the biggest names in team history play a few lighthearted innings before the day’s main matchup.

But what started as a joyful reunion quickly turned into a moment of concern. While appearing on WFAN’s radio broadcast during the Yankees’ eventual 5-4 win over Houston, Clemens revealed unexpected news. Speaking with Suzyn Waldman and Dave Sims, he told listeners that Rivera had suffered what was initially believed to be a hamstring injury during the exhibition game.

“It was a fun day until we just heard about Mariano,” Clemens said during the broadcast. “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.”

Clemens added that Rivera was no longer at the stadium and had gone to a hospital for evaluation. The update stunned fans who had been watching the friendly exhibition just hours earlier.

Later that evening, after the Yankees had secured their win over the Astros, the news became official. Rivera’s agent confirmed to The Athletic that the 55-year-old Hall of Famer had torn his Achilles tendon and would require surgery to repair it.

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