Ben Rice's initial tenure with the Yankees has come to an end.
With Anthony Rizzo due to return from a rehab assignment, the Yankees optioned the rookie first baseman to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following Saturday's 6-5 loss to the Cardinals.
The 25-year-old Rice made his MLB debut on June 18 against the Orioles and hit three home runs on July 5 in an iconic moment for his time with the Yankees, but struggled at the plate otherwise.
Rice is hitting .174 with a .356 slugging percentage and a .624 OPS, and has gone from a three-home run day against the Red Sox that led a struggling lineup to 14 runs to just .112 with a .443 OPS and just three home runs.
His most recent start came on Friday, when he was 0-for-3 in the Yankees' win over the Cardinals.
He entered Saturday's game as a pinch runner in the eighth inning after pinch hitter Giancarlo Stanton hit a bases-loaded double.
Still, Rice is part of the Yankees' future, especially with Rizzo and DJ LeMahieu both being aging veterans.
He was the Yankees' No. 12 prospect at the time of his promotion and has batted .275 (including .333 with Scranton) in cameos at Double-A and Triple-A this year.
Rizzo has been out since June with a broken arm and struggled at the plate before the injury, but manager Aaron Boone said after the Yankees' loss that Rizzo “probably” will be back as soon as Sunday.
He was not in the lineup for Saturday's game for Double-A Somerset, the minor league affiliate where he was playing during a rehab assignment.
Will Warren, who started Saturday and has had some shaky starts recently, allowing four runs and five hits in four innings, was also demoted to Triple-A after the game.
