Yankees' Ben Rice: Gets company at 1B in Goldschmidt
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Rice is slated to be the Yankees' primary first baseman in 2026, but Paul Goldschmidt -- who the team re-signed Friday -- is expected to frequently start at the position against lefty pitchers, Randy Miller of NJ.com reports.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said back in December that he expects Rice to play "a lot" against lefties this season, but New York's decision to bring back Goldschmidt -- who posted a standout .981 OPS against southpaws last year -- complicates matters. It doesn't necessarily mean that Rice will always sit against all left-handed starters; for those games, he could frequently move behind the plate to give fellow lefty hitter Austin Wells a break, and Rice may also be given turns at DH. With that in mind, fantasy managers need not downgrade Rice's outlook significantly, as Boone figures to get Rice's bat into the lineup on a near-everyday basis as long as he's hitting well. For those who roster Rice in dynasty and keeper leagues, the signing of Goldschmidt may end up being a good thing if it means Rice is able to maintain catcher eligibility beyond 2026.
