Ben Rice Shows Promise in Yankees’ Victory
Ben Rice took another significant step forward on Friday as he aimed to solidify his place in the major leagues.
At the season’s outset, the Yankees were somewhat reluctant to play him against left-handed pitchers, which often resulted in his exclusion from the lineup.
However, during the Bombers’ 7-2 victory over the Orioles, Rice registered his fifth home run of the season, further asserting to the Yankees that he could compete against any pitcher.
In fact, in the bottom of the second inning, Rice hit a three-run shot off Cade Povich, helping to give the Yankees an early 5–1 advantage.
At 27 years old, Rice still doesn’t feel fully established against left-handed pitchers. “I think we had some solid at-bats against them. Not sure ‘established’ is the right term,” he remarked after the game. “Regardless of who’s on the mound, I’ve got confidence in myself. Thankfully, today, I managed to make a good swing, but, yeah, there’s still room for improvement.”
This season has seen left-handed batters face right-handed pitchers more frequently. Before his match against the Orioles, Rice had accumulated 22 hits in 71 at-bats, boasting a .310 average, six home runs, and a 1.116 OPS against right-handed pitchers.
In contrast, his performance against left-handed pitchers stands out as he has had 10 hits in 27 at-bats, translating to a .370 average with four home runs and an OPS of 1.266.
A year ago, Rice had 106 at-bats against southpaws, compared to a whopping 361 against righties.
After his home run, Rice went 1-for-2 against Povich, finishing the game with 2-for-5 overall, contributing three RBIs. Post-victory, he found himself second in the MLB for OPS against left-handed pitchers at 1.308.
“We’re witnessing the growth of one of the truly amazing hitters in the game,” remarked Aaron Boone. “It’s not merely a simple evolution. He’s extremely disciplined, has a solid strategy for every matchup, and excels at zone control. This trajectory has been evident since his debut.”
“He just keeps improving—it’s like he’s become a wrecking ball.”
