Player News

• Yankees' Ben Rice: Will play 'a lot' versus lefties

  12D ago • By RotoWire

  Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that he expects Rice to play "a lot" against left-handed pitchers in 2026, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports. The left-handed-hitting Rice's playing time against southpaws in 2025 was limited, though that was due in large part to Paul Goldschmidt's effectiveness versus lefties. Rice hit only .208 over 119 regular-season plate appearances against left-handers this past season, but he slugged seven home runs while boasting a .481 slugging percentage in those matchups. Heading into his age-27 season, Rice will be the Yankees' primary first baseman in 2026, and he could get an opportunity to be an everyday player.

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• Yankees' Ben Rice: Viewed as primary first baseman

  10/17/2025 • By RotoWire

  Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Thursday that he views Rice as the team's primary first baseman next season, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports. Rice split time between designated hitter (48 starts), first base (46 starts) and catcher (26 starts) in 2025, slashing .255/.337/.499 with 26 home runs across 530 regular-season plate appearances. Boone didn't rule out Rice serving as the team's No. 2 or No. 3 catcher in 2026, but most of the 26-year-old's playing time is expected to come at first base.

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• Yankees' Ben Rice: Absent from lineup

  09/26/2025 • By RotoWire

  Rice is not in the lineup for Friday's contest versus the Orioles. After five consecutive starts, Rice will take a seat in Friday's series opener. The Yankees will roll with Paul Goldschmidt at first base and Austin Wells at catcher.

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• Yankees' Ben Rice: Powers Yankees in win

  09/21/2025 • By RotoWire

  Rice went 4-for-5 with a grand slam, a double and five total RBI in Sunday's 7-1 win over the Orioles in 10 innings. Rice got the Yankees on the board in the sixth inning with a two-out RBI single, tying the game at 1-1, before delivering the decisive blast in the 10th inning, a 413-foot grand slam off lefty Keegan Akin to put New York ahead 5-1. Rice had just one home run in his last 20 games prior to Sunday, though he's gone 14-for-33 (.424) over his last 10 contests. Overall, Rice is slashing .252/.335/.488 with 24 homers, 62 RBI and 69 runs scored across 510 plate appearances this season.

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• Yankees' Ben Rice: Sitting Monday

  09/15/2025 • By RotoWire

  Rice is not in the Yankees' starting lineup against the Twins on Monday. Even with the Twins sending right-hander Simeon Woods-Richardson to the mound, the lefty-hitting Rice will be on the bench for the beginning of Monday's game while veteran Paul Goldschmidt starts at first base and bats sixth. Rice has collected at least one hit in each of last four games, going 6-for-14 (.429 average) with four doubles and two RBI over that span.

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