Mariano Rivera tears Achilles in Yankees Old-Timers' Day game and needs surgery

Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera tore an Achilles tendon while going after a flyball at the New York Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day game on Saturday and needs surgery.

NEW YORK — Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera tore an Achilles tendon while going after a flyball at the New York Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day game on Saturday and needs surgery.

Agent Fern Cuza said the 55-year-old closer, baseball’s career leader in saves, will have the operation within a week.

In his lone at-bat, Rivera singled off former teammate Andy Pettitte and easily ran to first base. During an at-bat by Willie Randolph, Rivera took a step and fell to the ground in shallow center field behind second base.

The Yankees restored the Old-Timers’ Day game for the first time since 2019.

“It was a fun day until we heard about Mariano. Mariano hurt his Achilles,” seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens told WFAN broadcaster Suzyn Waldman. “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. I think he’s at the hospital now. Unbelievable.”