Yankees’ Offensive Struggles Continue
TORONTO — The Yankees’ offense has been struggling significantly over the last couple of months, and the reasons for this slump can be seen throughout the lineup.
However, a key factor seems to be Ben Rice’s performance, which hasn’t quite matched expectations this season. Before an 0-for-4 outing with two strikeouts in Saturday’s 4-1 defeat against the Blue Jays, the power-hitting first baseman had posted an impressive .883 OPS, ranking fifth in the American League, along with 32 home runs, the third most in the league. Yet, in the last 21 games, he has managed a disappointing .130 batting average (10 hits in 77 at-bats), leading to a .494 OPS and only two home runs. This downturn coincides with a broader decline for the entire team.
Looking deeper, his batting average has fallen to .193, with an OPS of .694 and just 10 home runs over his last 46 games.
“We definitely struggled in the second half,” manager Aaron Boone remarked ahead of Saturday’s game. “It’s about maintaining the right approach—making sure he’s handling the pitches correctly.”
In his first chance at the plate Saturday, Rice hit a cannon of a ball at 165.4 mph for a flyout to center. Yet, he went 0-for-4 with another flyout the following day.
“I’m feeling better and better,” said Rice after the recent loss. “I’ve felt good about my swing in the last few series and have been hitting the ball hard, but the results aren’t showing. I just have to keep pushing forward. That’s all I can do.”
Meanwhile, Cam Schlitler had a challenging outing Saturday, allowing just one run over 5 1/3 innings while striking out seven and walking three. Even so, he possesses a solid 2.19 ERA and is still in the running for the AL Cy Young Award, although his primary competition, Blue Jays ace Dylan Schiess, had a standout performance in the series finale.
Cody Bellinger is expected to start his rehabilitation next week due to a hamstring strain. Nonetheless, Boone did not provide any updates on Giancarlo Stanton, who is recovering from a calf strain.
The veteran DH stayed back in New York instead of traveling to Toronto, focusing on improving his running and rehabilitation. After suffering a setback in June, the pace of his recovery remains unclear.
“I know he’s been taking hits in the field,” Boone explained. “But I can’t say when he might be ready to get back into it.”
In another update, the Blue Jays placed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on the seven-day injured list due to a concussion after he collided with teammate George Lombard Jr. during Friday’s game.
Boone also addressed his ejection during the series opener, where he was thrown out by home plate umpire Vic Carapazza for disputing a call. It was, at least in part, reminiscent of his numerous career ejections.
“After Friday’s loss, I mentioned that it was a ‘tired toss’ from Carapazza,” Boone stated. “But I’ve said my piece. Ultimately, it’s just part of the game and doesn’t change the outcome of last night’s game. We simply need to find ways to score more runs. We’ve spoken with the league, and today is a new day.”
