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
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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.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Goes deep in win
Rotowire
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.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Taking seat Monday
Rotowire
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.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Out against right-hander
Rotowire
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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Yankees' Ben Rice: Playing time trending down
Rotowire
Rice is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mariners.
Over his last eight games, Rice has gone just 4-for-27 with a .324 on-base percentage, and his lack of recent production is beginning to cost him some playing time. For the fourth time in five matchups with a right-handed starting pitcher (Logan Evans), the left-handed-hitting Rice will head to the bench while the Yankees go with Paul Goldschmidt at first base and Giancarlo Stanton at designated hitter.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Resting Sunday
Rotowire
Rice is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets.
Rice will head to the bench after starting three of the last four games and going 4-for-15 with two doubles, a walk, two RBI and two runs. The Yankees will open Sunday's contest with Austin Wells behind the plate, Paul Goldschmidt at first base and Giancarlo Stanton as their designated hitter.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Taking seat Tuesday
Rotowire
Rice is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays.
The lefty-hitting Rice had started in each of the Yankees' last seven matchups with right-handed pitchers, but he'll move to the bench Tuesday as Toronto sends righty Kevin Gausman to the hill. With a 143 wRC+ over 211 plate appearances versus righties this season, Rice has been far more productive in those matchups than the right-handed-hitting Paul Goldschmidt (73 wRC+ in 231 plate appearances), but Yankees manager Aaron Boone isn't yet ready to commit to a strict platoon between the two players at first base. Goldschmidt will get the nod at first base Tuesday, and he and Rice could both be occasionally included together in the lineup against righties if Rice is used at catcher or designated hitter.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Out of Tuesday's lineup
Rotowire
Rice is not in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Angels.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone has some lineup juggling to do now that Giancarlo Stanton is back in the fold, and it will be Rice's turn to sit out Tuesday. Rice had started each of the previous six games.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Clubs 12th homer
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Rice went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk in Sunday's 7-3 win over the Dodgers.
Rice put the Yankees ahead 3-1 in the third inning with his blast. He's hit safely in five of his last six games, going 6-for-21 (.286) with two homers and a 3:5 BB:K in that span. The 26-year-old is batting .250 with an .875 OPS, 12 long balls, 25 RBI, 31 runs scored, 11 doubles, one triple and two stolen bases across 197 plate appearances this season.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Exiting starting nine
Rotowire
Rice is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest against the Rangers.
Although he had started the previous two games, Rice has seen his playing time dip recently, as this is his fifth time absent from the lineup across the last 11 tilts. Aaron Judge is in the designated-hitter spot Thursday, and the Yankees will roll out Jasson Dominguez, Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger in the outfield.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Not starting Tuesday
Rotowire
Rice isn't in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mariners.
Rice will get a chance to catch his breath Tuesday after going 1-for-6 with an RBI and two strikeouts during Monday's victory. Jasson Dominguez will fill in as New York's DH and bat seventh.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Swats first career grand slam
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Rice went 2-for-3 with a grand slam, a walk and two runs scored in Sunday's win over the Athletics. He also reached twice via hit-by-pitch.
Rice demolished a fifth-inning grand slam to put the Yankees ahead 10-1. Dating back to April 29, eight of his 10 hits have gone for extra-bases, and he now sits eighth in baseball with a .937 OPS. The power Rice has shown so far this season has been remarkable. He hit seven home runs in 178 plate appearances as a rookie last year and is already up to nine in 144 plate appearances in 2025.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Will get more defensive reps
Rotowire
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that he plans to use Rice at first base "a little bit here" and is "going to try" to work him in at catcher during blowout games, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Boone has begun to think about how he will deploy Rice -- who has a .958 OPS with eight home runs -- when the Yankees get Giancarlo Stanton (elbows) back from the injured list. Rice saw one inning at catcher in the April 27 win against the Blue Jays and Boone wanted to play him behind the plate Tuesday in Baltimore but decided against it after Rice was hit by a pitch in the fifth inning. The 26-year-old Rice is a natural catcher and works out there and at first base every day. Rice could see enough game action at catcher to earn eligibility there in fantasy leagues, although it probably won't happen anytime soon. Stanton is progressing in his rehab but is not close to returning, so Boone has time to mull how to use Rice once the team is at full strength. The manager did say he is not considering using Rice at any unfamiliar positions, so when Rice plays in the field it will be at first base or catcher.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Belts two homers Tuesday
Rotowire
Rice went 3-for-5 with two solo home runs and four runs scored in Tuesday's 15-3 win over the Orioles.
Rice was on the bench for the series opener Monday, and the additional rest paid off. He was one of five Yankee players to hit a home run in Tuesday's contest, with both of his two solo shots came off the returning Kyle Gibson in the first and second innings. Rice is up to eight home runs on the season, which surpasses his mark from 2024 (seven) in 72 less plate appearances. He has a .998 OPS with 22 runs scored and 13 RBI this season.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Idle for series opener
Rotowire
Rice is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Orioles.
Though the Orioles are sending right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano to the hill, the left-handed-hitting Rice will hit the bench for the series opener in Baltimore, breaking a streak of five consecutive starts. Rice missed two straight starts early last week due to a left elbow contusion, but he went 3-for-19 with a home run, a double and three walks over the ensuing five games, and the Yankees haven't indicated that he's dealing with any setbacks on the health front. With Rice out of the lineup, Trent Grisham will draw a second consecutive start atop the batting order, while Aaron Judge returns to the two hole after batting third behind Rice in Sunday's 5-1 win over Toronto.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Back in action Tuesday
Rotowire
Rice (elbow) will start at designated hitter and bat leadoff in Tuesday's game versus the Guardians.
Rice missed each of the previous two contests with a bruised left elbow, but he's ready to go for the second game of the series. He'll carry a .988 OPS into play Tuesday.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Idle vs. southpaw
Rotowire
Rice is not in the Yankees' starting lineup against the Royals on Wednesday.
Rice has received three starts against left-handed pitchers this season, but he'll take a seat Wednesday with the Royals sending southpaw Kris Bubic to the mound. With Rice beginning the contest in the dugout, Aaron Judge will serve as the designated hitter while Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham and Jasson Dominguez man the outfield. Rice has started the season slashing .273/.385/.618 with 10 walks, two stolen bases, 12 runs scored, five home runs and seven RBI in 65 plate appearances.
