Ben Rice has already shown the Yankees he can solve one big problem. Now they need him to solve another.
After a rough debut in 2024, when the 12th-round pick out of Dartmouth hit just .171/.264/.349 over 50 games, Rice went to work on his swing and came back looking like a different hitter. In 2025, he pushed his OPS to .836. In 2026, he jumped again to .897, and his home run total climbed from 26 to 41.
That breakthrough turned Rice into one of New York’s biggest offensive weapons. He was especially dangerous against left-handed pitching, led the league with a 224 wRC+ in high-leverage situations, and then put together a postseason for the ages before the Yankees’ disappointing exit took some of the shine off it.
Ben Rice just had the 2nd highest OPS in a single postseason by a Yankee ever (min. 20 PA’s)
You were failed Ben. pic.twitter.com/lE6OinESMR
- AT (@BaseballWRLD_) October 8, 2026
The trouble for the Yankees is that Rice’s next leap might have to come with his glove, not his bat.
New York is facing a messy at-bat squeeze at first base and designated hitter with Rice, Luis Garcia Jr., Giancarlo Stanton, and Aaron Judge all in the mix. Judge probably won’t be a full-time DH yet, and Stanton could either be moved or wind up on the injured list again, but there still isn’t much room to go around.
One possible outlet is trading Garcia Jr., which early rumors have already pointed to. Garcia Jr. took over most of the first-base work after arriving at the trade deadline and handled the position well, finishing with 2 defensive runs saved and 3 outs above average. If he goes, Rice would likely slide into the everyday first-base job.
That’s where the concern kicks in. In 474 2/3 innings at first, Rice posted -8 DRS and -7 OAA. He didn’t log enough time to qualify among the league leaders, but those numbers would have placed him well below the worst regulars if he had.
The Yankees could also choose to keep Garcia Jr.’s bat in the lineup by shifting him elsewhere, something Aaron Boone previously hinted at. But Garcia Jr. was rough at second base, which is why he ended up at first in the first place. If he returns there, New York could be looking at a brutal defensive pairing on the right side of the infield.
That’s not an ideal setup for a team whose defense fell apart in Game 2 of the ALDS.
Still, there’s reason to believe Rice can handle another overhaul. He’s smart, he works, and he’s already proven he can make major adjustments at the plate.
The Yankees know that side of his game can be upgraded. Now they’re hoping the same thing happens with the glove.
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