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Rice went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an RBI double in Wednesday's Grapefruit League win against the Red Sox.
Rice belted a run-scoring double in the third inning and capped the scoring in the game with a 412-foot solo shot in the fifth. The slugger is enjoying a nice spring, slashing .400/.471/.667 with four RBI through five games. Rice is slated to work as the Yankees' primary first baseman this season and should also see some time at catcher and DH.
Yankees' Ben Rice: Will still get regular reps vs. LHP
Rotowire
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Rice will play regularly against lefties in addition to righties this season, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
The Yankees re-signed Paul Goldschmidt last week, giving Rice a potential roadblock to everyday playing time at first base. However, while Goldschmidt will be given starts against lefty hurlers as a short-side platoon option, Rice is still expected to see plenty of action versus southpaws. Boone also noted that Rice could see a little playing time at catcher on days Goldschmidt starts at first base.
Yankees' Ben Rice: Gets company at 1B in Goldschmidt
Rotowire
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.
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