Rice isn't starting Saturday's game against the Red Sox, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Rice has become a mainstay in New York's lineup in August, and he entered the weekend having started at either catcher or first base in each of the team's past 15 contests. However, he'll give way behind the plate to Austin Wells on Saturday while Paul Goldschmidt mans first base. Rice's day off isn't performance-related, as he posted a 1.018 OPS with four home runs and 12 RBI during the aforementioned 15-game stretch.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Reaches 20-homer mark
Rotowire
Rice went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a triple and a walk in Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Red Sox.
Rice tied the game at 1-1 with his second-inning homer. That was his 20th long ball of the year, four of which have come over his last nine games. In that span, he's gone 12-for-34 (.353) with 10 RBI and a 7:10 BB:K. This is an impressive stretch for Rice, who has largely struggled with consistency as a batter this year despite his steady power hitting. He's slashing .243/.338/.489 with 47 RBI, 55 runs scored, three stolen bases, three triples and 21 doubles across 107 contests.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Belts another long ball
Rotowire
Rice went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in Tuesday's 13-3 rout of the Rays.
The Yankees tied a franchise record with nine home runs Tuesday, and Rice's contribution was a 406-foot solo shot in the fourth inning. The slugger extended his on-base streak to eight games, a span in which he's batting .333 (10-for-30) with three homers, nine RBI, five runs and a 7:10 BB:K. Rice has become an everyday presence in New York's lineup and has taken over the No. 1 catcher role from Austin Wells, starting behind the plate in five of the team's past seven contests.
Rice went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, seven RBI, an additional run scored and a walk in Saturday's 12-8 victory over St. Louis.
Rice exploded at the plate, driving in a season-high seven runs to match the career mark he set as a rookie last year. The big showing pushed his OPS north of .800, as he now sports a .240/.332/.472 slash line with 21 doubles, 18 homers and 45 RBI across 103 games in 2025.
Rice went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 6-2 victory against Minnesota.
The 26-year-old popped his first homer of the month with a 415-foot solo shot off Twins starter Zebby Matthews in the third. Rice, who continues to occupy a strong-side platoon role, is now slashing .235/.326/.463 with 17 home runs, 50 runs scored and 38 RBI in 372 total plate appearances. He picked up his 10th game started as a backstop in Monday's contest and likely now qualifies at catcher in many leagues.
Rice is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rangers.
After starting against a pair of right-handed pitchers to close out the Yankees' weekend series with the Marlins, the left-handed-hitting Rice will begin Monday's contest on the bench while southpaw Patrick Corbin toes the rubber for the Rangers. With Rice out of the lineup, Paul Goldschmidt will start at first base, Giancarlo Stanton will serve as the Yankees' designated hitter and Austin Wells will start at catcher.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Taking seat Monday
Rotowire
Rice is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rays.
He had started in four of the Yankees' last five games, but Rice will give way to Paul Goldschmidt at first base as New York opens a four-game set with Tampa Bay. Rice has gotten off to a slow start to the second half, recording four hits (one home run, two doubles) in 24 at-bats through his first nine games.
Rice went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a 5-4 win against the Blue Jays on Tuesday.
Rice couldn't reach base in any of his first three plate appearances, but he came through when it mattered most, swatting a solo homer in the ninth inning to break a 4-4 tie. It was Rice's first homer since June 24, a span of 16 games. The young slugger has seen fewer opportunities since Giancarlo Stanton returned from an extended stint on the injured list. Rice has started just three times in the Yankees' past seven contests.
Rice is absent from the lineup for Monday's game in Toronto.
Rice had started each of the last four games against right-handed pitching, but he'll begin Monday's contest on the bench as the Blue Jays send righty Kevin Gausman to the hill. The Yankees will go with Paul Goldschmidt at first base, Austin Wells at catcher and Giancarlo Stanton at designated hitter.
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