NEW YORK — Initially of spring coaching, the New York Yankees didn’t know who could be their leadoff hitter. Now, they’ve three — and every has mashed.
Designated hitter Ben Rice grew to become the newest to show that spot is likely to be a power for the Yankees when he went 2-for-4 with a house run in an 8-4 win over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday.
“Benny’s executed such job up there,” supervisor Aaron Boone stated. “He controls the strike zone, after which he’s so harmful, too.”
Getting into Saturday, catcher Austin Wells, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and Rice had mixed within the No. 1 spot to hit .340 (17-for-50) with three homers, six RBIs and a 1.070 OPS by the workforce’s first 13 video games. Goldschmidt had probably the most reps on the batting order place with eight. Wells had one and Rice had 4.
In his fifth time at leadoff, Rice — hitting forward of star Aaron Choose — began the sport with a groundout. However within the second body, he walked, and within the fifth, he crushed a 103.2 mph single as a part of the Yankees’ five-run explosion. Within the sixth, he blasted a solo shot off ex-Yankees reliever Lou Trivino at 113.2 mph — the toughest he’d ever hit a ball within the majors. The homer was his fourth of the season. He ended his evening with a 105.3 mph line out to left discipline within the eighth.
“Identical factor that we noticed in spring,” middle fielder Cody Bellinger stated of Rice. “It hasn’t actually modified. Simply locked in. Locked into his plan. Locked into his strategy. Man who hits the ball extraordinarily arduous. It’s very enjoyable to look at. It’s very spectacular.”
113.2 mph Ben Bomb 💣 pic.twitter.com/UZDLu4KPWv
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 12, 2025
Final season, Rice appeared on the prime of the lineup 10 occasions for the Yankees. The coaching paid off. By way of 5 begins at leadoff this 12 months, he’s hit .333 (6-for-18) with two homers, a double and a triple. He’s additionally walked seven occasions.
The 26-year-old, who additionally catches and performs first base, stated hitting first doesn’t really feel uncommon for him.
“I feel the largest factor is once you transfer to a sure spot within the order, you’re most likely there for a motive,” he stated. “I feel the largest factor is absolutely to not change an excessive amount of.”
Rice’s superior metrics inform the story of an influence hitter locked in. His common exit velocity of 97.5 mph and his hard-hit share are every throughout the prime 1 p.c of hitters within the sport, based on Statcast.
His 1.121 OPS is the second greatest on the Yankees behind Choose at 1.224. General, Rice is hitting .310 (15-for-52) with 5 RBIs, 13 strikeouts and 9 walks. He’s reached base safely in 11 of his 12 video games with a plate look this season, and his present eight-game on-base streak matches his longest ever.
Would these numbers point out a participant who is likely to be a bit greater than a flash within the pan?
“You’ll suppose,” Boone stated. “These have been a variety of issues that have been type of beneath final 12 months, even. Even when he went by some struggles, he was nonetheless not being rewarded for some fairly good contact on the time. I really feel like he’s taken that to a different degree. I really feel that he’s in a manner higher place and a manner higher hitter and only a 12 months extra mature bodily, mentally and enjoying with a variety of confidence. His at-bat high quality is absolutely good.”
Rice was effectively conscious of his gaudy numbers to date. However he stated he’s not taking note of them.
“I attempt to not,” he stated. “Simply bought to proceed to be within the current.”
His largest key?
“I feel having a convicted strategy each time you’re as much as the plate,” he stated. “Simply trusting myself, trusting the instincts.”
(Picture of Aaron Choose and Ben Rice: Tom Horak / Imagn Photos)
