Aaron Judge was scratched from the New York Yankees’ starting lineup on Sunday, ahead of the rain-delayed regular-season finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
First baseman Ben Rice was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, stepping in just a day after Anthony Rizzo suffered an injury.
Aaron Judge scratched from lineup
Aaron Judge was initially slated to start in center field but was replaced by Trent Grisham around the time New York announced that the game would not start as scheduled at 3:05 p.m. ET. The field conditions were expected to be soggy when play eventually resumed.
Aaron Judge sat out Friday’s game following the Yankees’ AL East title clinch but returned on Saturday, struggling with an 0-for-5 performance, including tying his career high with five strikeouts. Currently batting .322, Judge leads the majors with 58 home runs and 144 RBIs.
Anthony Rizzo, meanwhile, sustained fractures to the fourth and fifth fingers of his right hand after being hit by a pitch from Pittsburgh’s Ryan Borucki in the seventh inning of the Yankees’ 9-4 loss to the Pirates on Saturday. The injury marked the 22nd time Rizzo had been hit by a pitch this season. As of now, New York has yet to place Rizzo on the injured list.
Ben Rice, who has experience at first base, was called back up following Rizzo’s latest injury. He initially joined the Yankees roster earlier this season when Rizzo fractured his right forearm in a collision at first base with Boston reliever Brennan Bernadino on June 16. Over his stint with the Yankees, Rice played 48 games at first base, maintaining a solid .996 fielding percentage with only one error in 279 chances.
Drafted as a catcher out of Dartmouth in 2021, Rice has faced challenges at the plate, batting just .175 with seven homers and 23 RBIs during his time with the Yankees. However, his fielding abilities earned praise from manager Aaron Boone. “He’s obviously gained a lot of experience at first base this year, and I feel like he handled that all really well,” Boone said. “I feel like he handled himself defensively, maybe even better than I anticipated.”
Rice struggled offensively after a strong showing against the Red Sox on July 7, when he hit three home runs. In the following 31 games of his first stint, he hit just .117 (11 for 94) before being optioned back to the minors on August 31. During his time at Triple-A, Rice regained his form, batting .293 with 12 homers and 33 RBIs in 30 games.
Rizzo, who hit .228 with eight homers and 35 RBIs across 92 games this season, had found a rhythm since returning from the injured list on September 1, batting .380 (8-for-21). However, his 2023 campaign faced setbacks, starting with a collision with San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. on May 28. Rizzo was later diagnosed with a concussion, which contributed to a significant drop in performance—hitting just .174 with 10 RBIs in 47 games after the incident.
Rizzo, a three-time All-Star, has been an important part of the Yankees since they acquired him from the Cubs at the 2021 trade deadline. He re-signed with New York to a two-year, $40 million contract following a productive 2022 season, where he hit .224 with 32 homers and 75 RBIs in 130 games. The Yankees hold a $17 million option for Rizzo for 2025, with a $6 million buyout.
In Rizzo’s absence, Oswaldo Cabrera might also see some time at first base. Cabrera has made five starts at the position this season and is seen as a versatile player. Boone expressed confidence in Cabrera’s defensive capabilities: “I think, as I’ve said, Oswaldo with a glove on I’m good with,” Boone said. “He’s got a lot of work over at first this year, even going back to spring training a little bit.”
DJ LeMahieu, another potential option, has not played since September 3 due to right hip impingement, leaving the Yankees with limited choices at first base as they head into the playoffs.
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