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The New York Yankees lost to the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night, but they still lead the American League East. After losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in last year's World Series in embarrassing fashion, the Yankees' offense has rebounded in a big way. Aaron Judge leads the MVP race in the AL while offseason additions Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger have exceeded expectation. However, the biggest surprise might be what Ben Rice has given New York in Giancarlo Stanton's absence.
The 26-year-old showed some flashes last season at the plate as a rookie. His sophomore season has blown expectations out of the water, though. Through more than 50 games, Rice's average sits just under .250 with 12 home runs and 11 doubles, both more than last season. He has given Yankees manager Aaron Boone one of the best problems a manager can have. He has too much talent on the roster with not enough at-bats to go around.
For now, Rice serves as New York's designated hitter, with Goldschmidt excelling at first base. With Stanton inching closer to his return from injury, the roster questions grow louder. Boone won't have to answer those questions for a few more weeks. However, talks centered around what the Yankees need to do at the trade deadline will involve one of, if not all of those names.
Of the three of them, Rice is by far the most valuable and should be considered untouchable by Brian Cashman.
Ben Rice could replace Stanton as Aaron Judge's new “Mash Brother”
When the Yankees acquired Stanton back in 2017. Since then, he and Judge formed one of the most intimidating offensive duos in Major League Baseball. Unfortunately, injuries have held Stanton out since the beginning of the season. When he is in the lineup, the former National League MVP is a dangerous hitter. The problem is that his injuries(and the absences that go with them) are becoming more and more frequent.
Stanton has three years left of his deal after the end of this season. The money goes down each season, making him a lower-risk investment as time goes on. At 35 years old, Stanton's best seasons are behind him. However, what he brings in the postseason showed the Yankees that his contract is worth it in the playoffs. But what happens if Rice can do what Stanton does at a much lower price tag? Financially, moving Stanton and keeping Rice on an affordable deal gives Cashman much more flexibility.
Judge has been near the top of the league in power all season long. Because of his teammate's success, Rice's season is not getting as much attention as it would if he were on another team. He is third on the team in long balls and is fourth in doubles. His power at the DH spot allows Boone to put him in the second spot in the order.
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Putting two contact hitters in front of Judge in his order is what Boone wants to do. If Rice continues to hit with both power and average, that spot is his to lose. Stanton is great when he is healthy, but he is limited to sitting behind Judge in the lineup. The best part about Rice might be his age. If he continues to progress, he could become a consistent contributor for New York for the next decade.
Rice and Anthony Volpe are the Yankees' future
The Yankees are one of few teams in the league that could just as easily contend for a title in five years as they could right now. A lot of that is because of the growth that Rice and Volpe have shown. Judge is having another all-time season, but he is 33 years old and won't be around forever. There are questions about just how much he can give New York as he continues to get older, but the team is well set up to succeed after his prime is over.
Rice, Volpe, Spencer Jones, and Austin Wells are all 26 years old or younger. At this point in their careers, all but Jones have proven to be significant players on a team in championship contention. Will any of them be able to take the mantle from Judge as the next great Yankee? Probably not. However, they could keep New York in the inner circle of contenders as a collective.
One former Yankee that Rice reminds fans of is Mark Teixeira. If he develops into what the former All-Star was as a player, he could blossom into a star that leads the Yankees at the plate and in the field. However, Boone, Judge, and the rest of the organization inspire Rice to work hard and worry about the here and now.
The Yankees have a chance to do something special this season. Making the right trade could push them over the top. However, Rice won't be in any conversation, no matter what the offer for him contains.
