Mariano Rivera Faithful in God's Plan After Possible Career-Ending Injury; Praying for Next Move
Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees closer and 12-time All-Star, tore his ACL and meniscus Thursday night before his team played Kansas City. Some observers have questioned whether Rivera will have to retire, but the Christian baseball star has said he is not questioning the Lord's plan.
Rivera, 42, tore his ACL while shagging the ball before the team's game on Thursday. While attempting to catch fly balls in the outfield, Rivera's footing caused him to fall and hit a wall in the Kansas City, Mo., arena.
The result was an injury that some have speculated could end his career. Alex Rodriguez, Rivera's teammate, spoke about his difficulty watching a teammate get injured.
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"I saw it all go down. It's hard even to talk about it tonight," Rodriguez said in an NPR report. "I mean, Mo has meant so much to us on a personal level, and his significance on the field, on the mound. But the bottom line is we're the New York Yankees, and nobody is going to feel sorry for us."
Still, Rivera was teary-eyed when speaking to reporters after the game. He admitted that he did not initially know how bad his injury was.
"I got myself between the grass and the dirt, couldn't pull my leg up and twisted it," Rivera told reporters. "I thought it wasn't that bad. I was walking a little bit, but it's torn."
Instead of rushing into the decision of undergoing immediate surgery, Rivera told reporters that he wanted to stay with his team and pray about the situation.
"I just want to think and pray a little bit before I make any decisions. I want to stay for the team, just want to be here for the guys," Rivera said. " (I want to) make sure the guys are okay. It's not an easy situation but we've been through this before and (are being) tested one more time."
Despite speculation concerning the possibility of Rivera's injury ending his career, the closer said he had faith in God's plan.
"No, I never will second guess that or question the Lord," Rivera said while blinking back tears. "It happened for a reason and you just have to deal with it."
Rivera is considered one of the best closers in baseball and leads the MLB in saves. However, he said he does not know when, or if, he will ever pitch again after his recent injury.
