Yankees’ Ben Rice Powers Through Pain With Home Run

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ben Rice, the Yankees’ designated hitter, felt pain in his left foot after fouling off two balls on Monday night. Despite the discomfort, he played through it and rewarded himself with a 423-foot home run on Tuesday, marking his 11th of the season.

This blast came as Rice continues to impress at the plate, even with Giancarlo Stanton on the verge of returning. His batting average has dipped from .288 to .244 in recent weeks, but his underlying metrics remain strong.

Entering the series finale against the Angels, Rice’s average exit velocity was 94.5 mph, ranking seventh in the majors. His hard-hit rate was an impressive 58.3%, which placed him fifth overall. Manager Aaron Boone remains optimistic, stating, “He’s hitting the ball hard still. He just hasn’t had a lot to show for it.”

Rice’s recent struggles have included hard-hit balls that have been caught rather than converted into hits. During a game against the Rockies, Rice launched a 108.3 mph line drive that was caught, while teammate Aaron Judge followed up with a bloop single at just 69.7 mph.

<p“Ben Rice has obviously emerged as a great hitter,” pitcher Carlos Rodón commented, mentioning Rice’s bad luck lately.

Rice’s performance against fastballs has been notably effective, sporting a .325 average and a .688 slugging percentage. However, he struggles with breaking balls, hitting just .132 against them.

As Stanton prepares to return from injury with live at-bats in Tampa, Yankees’ manager Boone faces the challenge of balancing playing time among his hitters. Rice has already secured his place in the lineup, taking advantage of Stanton’s absence.

The Yankees have seen early success with a rotation of players, including Rice, Paul Goldschmidt, and Cody Bellinger, each sharing playing time. While Stanton’s return will limit some flexibility, the depth of the roster provides opportunities for the current hitters to continue contributing.

Rice’s versatility was demonstrated when he took grounders at third base, a gesture the Yankees insist is for fun. Although he has briefly played catcher in blowouts, his primary focus remains on solidifying his role with the Yankees.