Ben Rice finished the first half of his rookie season with a bang and will be looking to carry that momentum into the second half.
In the series finale against the Orioles on Sunday, the Yankees first baseman hit a three-run homer off Craig Kimbrel in the ninth inning to give the Yankees a lead they expect to clinch the series going into the All-Star break.
Despite his efforts, the Orioles scored three runs in the first half at home to win 6-5.
“It was disappointing we didn’t get the win, but it felt good,” Rice said before Friday’s game against Tampa.
“He is [Kimbrel] “He throws a good fastball, so I just had to be ready for it. He’s been throwing it for a long time, but I felt like I was ready and I was able to take advantage of it.”
Called up on June 18 to replace the injured Anthony Rizzo, the Dartmouth College pitcher was a 12th round pick in the 2021 draft and has been a force for the Yankees since his debut.
Not only has Rice made an impact in just one month, but he also made his mark in the franchise’s history as the first rookie to hit three home runs in a game in a 14-4 victory over the Red Sox.
Rice was promoted to leadoff hitter for just the 15th game of his career, dropping struggling Anthony Volpe to seventh in the order.
Coach Aaron Boone said he had no regrets about giving the 25-year-old a chance.
“He’s done a great job for us and has proven thus far to be the hitter we want to develop,” Boone said. “You can see him coming up to the plate calm, patient, composed and confident.”
“Obviously, he’s had a lot of good at-bats for us. He’s taken what he’s been doing the last few years in the minor leagues and put it to use in the big leagues.”
Through Friday, Rice had hit six homers and had 19 RBIs in his first 24 games in pinstripes.
He had a .228 batting average and a .315 on-base percentage.
Boone said Rice will likely play more minutes as veteran first baseman Rizzo continues to “slowly recover” from a broken arm.
Despite having played catcher in college and in the minor leagues, the Massachusetts native has adapted well to a position that is relatively new to him.
“Overall, first base is still a new position for him and I think he’s done really well, but there’s still a lot of room for growth and I expect him to continue to gain valuable experience every day,” Boone said.
After enjoying some rest during the All-Star break, Rice said he expects the Yankees to “go on a winning streak and make a good run in the playoffs.”
