Ben Rice could find himself in the Bronx for the postseason as Yankees manager Aaron Boone considers him a potential replacement for Anthony Rizzo. The Yankees first baseman fractured the fourth and fifth fingers of his right hand after being hit by a pitch during their recent game against the Pirates, putting his postseason status in doubt.
Boone: Ben Rice is a viable playoff option
In a conversation with Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, Boone indicated that Ben Rice is on the Yankees’ radar for the playoff roster if Rizzo is unable to return in time. Boone said, “We’ll see what we have as the week progresses. I haven’t ruled him out completely. It’s about pain tolerance, so we’ll monitor things closely.”
Ben Rice, who had been filling in earlier this season when Anthony Rizzo initially went down, struggled to replicate his Triple-A success at the major league level. He was optioned back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre earlier this month, where he’s been batting .269 with nine home runs and 23 RBIs in 19 games since his demotion. Despite his struggles in the majors, Ben Rice’s minor league numbers this season have been strong, with a .275/.393/.532 slash line, 15 home runs, and 36 RBIs between Double-A and Triple-A.
One notable performance from Ben Rice this year came in July against the Red Sox, where he had a career game, going 5-for-3 with three home runs, seven RBIs, and three runs scored in a 14-4 Yankees win. That historic game made Ben Rice the first Yankees rookie to hit three home runs in a single game, adding to his case as a potential postseason option.
With DJ LeMahieu still recovering from a hip injury and his postseason availability in question, Boone is considering several possibilities for the Yankees’ infield, including using Oswaldo Cabrera at first base or calling up Ben Rice. As the Yankees prepare for the American League Division Series, starting October 5 at Yankee Stadium, Ben Rice has emerged as a wildcard option—potentially ready to contribute when it matters most for the Bronx Bombers.
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Rice finished his year at AAA very strong with the bat, end they really did play him lots at 1B, and only a game or two at catcher.