When the Yankees launched their lineup for Thursday’s collection finale in opposition to the Arizona Diamondbacks, it featured their third totally different leadoff hitter of the younger season.
With Paul Goldschmidt and Austin Wells getting their first break day of the season, Ben Rice is the newest to get a crack at getting the Bombers’ offense began and supervisor Aaron Boone’s rationalization for the choice was somewhat easy:
“He rakes,” mentioned the Yankees supervisor.
Rice is off to a scorching begin in 2025 because the left-handed hitter entered Thursday’s contest 5-for-13 (.385) with two homers carrying his hard-hitting spring show into the common season.
“The biggest reason he’s here is because he can swing the bat,” Boone mentioned. “He’s done a good job of that all spring, he’s carried that into a pretty good start here to start the year.”
Whereas Rice’s capacity to punish baseballs landed him a considerably common spot within the Yanks’ lineup, his versatility affords a pleasant bonus to the skipper. The 26-year-old bought the beginning at first base on Thursday, nonetheless, it isn’t his main place. The slugger has made most of his skilled begins at catcher — 122 video games behind the dish and 116 at first between the majors and minors.
Boone considers having a official third catcher a luxurious,
“Having gained a lot of experience over at first base last year was valuable. But, having that element of having a third catcher over there — especially on some given days — I think, especially over time is something that will prove to be valuable.”
Whereas Boone is assured in Rice’s capacity to defend behind the plate, except there may be an damage, the skipper doesn’t plan on utilizing him again there too usually.
“In a perfect world, he’s catching four to five days a week to continue to develop [back there] because he’s good at it.” mentioned Boone. “Right now, that’s not the situation obviously. He’s doing a lot of catching work behind the scenes every day; that’s where he is work-wise. So, he’s getting his ground balls in at first, but he’s doing a lot of stuff with [catching coach] Tanner [Swanson].
“There will be games here where I’ll try to get him in in certain situations just to try to keep it going. … I don’t know about [finding a start for him], because I view that as JC [Escarra’s] role with Austin [Wells] who I plan on playing a lot, obviously. There could be a game late, like in that first series [vs. the Brewers] where we had a couple of lopsided ones where I can get him in.”
The ethical of the story for the Bombers’ younger slugger is straightforward: preserve mashing and no matter else he brings to the desk is merely icing on the cake.
WILLIAMS TO RETURN FRIDAY IN PITTSBURGH
The Yankees will get their nearer again Friday in Pittsburgh as Devin Williams is predicted to return off the paternity listing in opposition to the Pirates, based on Boone. The 30-year-old hasn’t appeared in a recreation since his group debut on Opening Day in opposition to the Brewers the place he surrendered one run however recorded the save.
INJURY UPDATES
Boone supplied a plethora of updates on Bombers which can be on the shelf to start the season.
DJ LeMahieu (calf) was on the sphere taking batting observe on Thursday and is a couple of week away from beginning to take reside at-bats. Nevertheless, the veteran will want a “full spring training workload” earlier than he returns.
Proper-hander Clarke Schmidt (again) will make a rehab begin for the Somerset Patriots on Saturday. Boone expects he’ll make yet another rehab begin after Saturday’s outing earlier than returning to the Yanks on April 15 or 16 in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Royals.
Ian Hamilton (sickness) is predicted to be activated on Apr. 7 in opposition to the Detroit Tigers.
