The New York Yankees have quite a conundrum at first base. The starter there, Anthony Rizzo, fractured two fingers after being hit by a pitch this past weekend, and the team called up Ben Rice to replace him on the roster. The young slugger started there on Sunday and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
Aaron Boone faces some challenging questions to answer for the playoffs
What should the Yankees do regarding first base? Who should they start? Can they lean on Rice to deliver at least average production in the postseason? Those are all fascinating questions with unclear answers. Perhaps not even manager Aaron Boone knows what he will do, as he has a few days to find solutions.
Basically, the Yankees can play Rice or Oswaldo Cabrera at first base (even though Jon Berti and Trent Grisham did take some grounders at the position recently), so it could be a matter of riding the hot hand. The chance to implement a platoon is not really there: both players are better against right-handed pitchers, as Rice is a lefty and Cabrera is a switch-hitter with a .469 OPS against southpaws in 2024.
What will the Yankees prioritize, floor or upside?
While Cabrera has the higher floor between the two, Rice has the most upside. It will be a huge decisions by Boone, one that can impact their success in the postseason.
Rice is capable of going on a tear, but let’s remember that he was sent down in August after logging just two hits in the whole month, in 41 plate appearances.
Of course, he is also capable of giving the Yankees above-average production, as he did in July when he hit seven home runs with a .760 OPS. Rice is streaky, but he has been excellent in the high minors since 2023 and deserves another chance to impress based on his upside.
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He was solid with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in his last 19 contests, hitting .269 (18-for-67) with a double, nine homers, and 23 RBI.
“I think it was just having a plan, sticking to it when I come up to bat,” Rice told MLB.com. “Just sticking to my strengths, sticking to my approach … and I think the results showed that.”
For the Yankees, it’s worth seeing if he can finally translate that Triple-A production to the big leagues.
