Yankees bench in-form Ben Rice once more to allow him to take on another important responsibility

Yankees’ Ben Rice on the Bench Again

The player who had the highest OPS in baseball for the first few weeks of the season ended up on the Yankees’ bench yet again, marking the third time in five games this has happened.

Despite the Yankees proclaiming earlier this season that they planned to give the young first baseman, Ben Rice, ample opportunities against left-handers, manager Aaron Boone understands why some fans might find it baffling that Paul Goldschmidt is chosen over the red-hot Rice.

As Boone approached the match against the Angels, he had Rice slated to start against lefty Reid Detmers, who has more balanced statistics compared to lefty Yusei Kikuchi, who pitched the previous day.

However, Rice had showcased his potential in the recent games versus the Yankees’ left-handed pitchers, stepping up in crucial moments off the bench. Boone decided that was substantial enough to give Rice another shot on Tuesday.

“I’ve really learned to utilize Benny effectively,” Boone said prior to the game. “Even if he’s not starting, I see him contributing in major ways. In the last two games, he’s faced left-handers—four at-bats, including home runs, walks, and some singles. We can count on him at critical junctures.”

Boone confirmed, “He’ll be in the lineup against lefties.”

The Yankees encountered only one left-handed pitcher during their first 11 games, but that changed with four lefties in the next six games. Rice had only one start against left-handers, where he went 1-for-3 against Jeffrey Springs of the Athletics, but accumulated nine additional at-bats against lefty relievers, finishing with a .273 average and a .606 OPS against left-handed pitching.

One strategy to have both Rice and Goldschmidt play against lefties would involve Rice stepping in at catcher. However, Boone mentioned he’s not ready to put Rice in that position full-time since Rice did not start a single game behind the plate during spring training. The Yankees want him to build his experience primarily at first base.

“Goldie provides a strong presence at the top of the order against left-handed pitchers, and I want to keep that going,” Boone commented. “Still, I enjoy having the option to make good decisions when inserting Benny Rice in critical situations.”