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.
Here’s something we never thought we’d say: Mariano Rivera has a hit against Andy Pettitte at Old Timers Day!
(via @Yankees)pic.twitter.com/4I5rGSBwnE
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 9, 2025
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.”
It would appear this was the moment that Mariano Rivera injured his achilles during the Old-Timer’s Day game pic.twitter.com/XpWGUcsWpm
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 11, 2025
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.
Rivera is no stranger to the demands of the game, having played 19 seasons with the Yankees. Over his career, he became the all-time saves leader and, in 2019, made history as the first player ever to be elected unanimously to the Baseball Hall of Fame. His presence at Old Timers’ Day was one of the event’s biggest draws, with fans eager to see the legendary closer back on the field where he built his career.
The injury was an abrupt end to what was meant to be a celebratory day for both the players and the fans. For many in attendance, it was the first time they had seen the Old Timers’ Game since before the pandemic, and the return of familiar faces had brought a wave of excitement to the Bronx.
Mariano Rivera gets a loud standing ovation from Yankee Stadium during his introduction
pic.twitter.com/6o3ttUFs4D
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 9, 2025
The Yankees have not yet released additional details about Rivera’s surgery or his expected recovery timeline. For now, the focus remains on the fact that the day’s most anticipated player ended the event in a hospital rather than alongside his former teammates.
What began as a long-awaited reunion of Yankee legends will now be remembered for a sudden, unexpected injury to one of the game’s most respected figures. The return of the Old Timers’ Game may have been years in the making, but the story that came out of it was one no fan expected to hear.
