{"id":99140,"date":"2025-04-13T16:48:03","date_gmt":"2025-04-13T20:48:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=99140"},"modified":"2025-04-13T16:48:03","modified_gmt":"2025-04-13T20:48:03","slug":"yankees-must-find-spot-ben-rice-after-stanton-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/04\/13\/yankees-must-find-spot-ben-rice-after-stanton-return\/","title":{"rendered":"Yankees Must Find a Spot for Ben Rice When Star DH Returns"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Giancarlo Stanton went down with elbow tendinitis<\/a> earlier this spring, it looked like the offense would be lost for the New York Yankees. However, Stanton’s replacement has taken on the designated hitter role swimmingly. Ben Rice, who has hit in the DH spot in 12 of the Yankees’ first 14 games, has been an absolute force at the plate in the early going of this season. The only issue is, where will he go when Stanton regains his health?<\/p>\n

Yankees Will Face Ben Rice Dilemma When Stanton Returns<\/h2>\n

Left-Handed Stanton<\/h3>\n

Though the Yankees surely miss last year’s ALCS MVP, Rice has put up numbers that look very similar, if not better, than the line Stanton would have produced. Over 13 games, the 26-year-old is hitting .310 with an OPS of 1.122, four homers, and 11 runs. Many of those runs have come thanks to manager Aaron Boone placing Rice in the leadoff spot<\/a> in five games, with Rice scoring six runs in those games. Overall, the first baseman\/catcher has been one of only a few bright spots<\/a> in the Yankees’ lineup thus far.<\/p>\n

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113.2 MPH off the bat on this line drive homer by Ben Rice \ud83d\ude2e\u200d\ud83d\udca8 pic.twitter.com\/iDvSN3T1cO<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MLB (@MLB) April 12, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n