MLB10 hours ago2 minute read

Ben Rice Beats Aaron Boone's Preseason Prediction with 41st Home Run

Ben Rice hit two home runs in a win over the Rays, reaching 41 on the year and surpassing manager Aaron Boone's spring training prediction.

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Surpassing the Manager's Expectation

During spring training, Yankees manager Aaron Boone made a prediction. He said Ben Rice would hit 39 home runs this season. Rice did not just reach that number, he passed it.

In a 9-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, Rice hit two home runs. Those were his 40th and 41st of the year. The blast tied him for the American League home run lead.

After hitting his first home run into the right field second deck, Rice smiled and pointed at Boone. "I think I said, 'Hey, there's 40 for you,'" Rice recalled. He joked with Boone again after the 41st, thanking him for the inspiration.

A Historic Season

Rice is now tied for the AL home run lead with Pete Alonso, Junior Caminero, and Yordan Alvarez. He is hitting .263 and leads the Yankees with 97 RBIs and a .900 OPS. He did this while stepping up for an offense that missed Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton for most of the year.

Only two other Yankees have hit 40 home runs in their first three seasons. Those players are Joe DiMaggio and Aaron Judge. Rice is now the 13th player in franchise history to reach the 40 home run milestone.

His teammate Aaron Judge praised his work ethic. Judge called him a machine and said he always knows exactly where Rice will be in the batting cage or weight room. Rice has been a spark for the team, hitting 16 go ahead home runs and three game tying home runs this season.

From Late Draft Pick to Star

Rice was a 12th round pick in the 2021 draft from Dartmouth. He only played 30 college games over three years because of the pandemic. He made his major league debut in June 2024 after Anthony Rizzo broke his forearm.

He hit .171 in his first 50 games and then batted .255 in 138 games the following year. He has split his time between first base and designated hitter.

Though he went through a tough slump after the All Star break, dropping his average to .248 in August, he has rebounded. He is batting .333 over his last 102 at bats. Rice credited his improvement to getting more experience against big league pitching.

What it means for the next game

Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees (MLB, Thu, 24 Sep): New York Yankees win 56%, Tampa Bay Rays win 44%; projected score New York Yankees 4, Tampa Bay Rays 4. Our safest pick: Under 10.5 runs.

Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees (MLB, Fri, 25 Sep): New York Yankees win 61%, Baltimore Orioles win 39%; projected score New York Yankees 5, Baltimore Orioles 4. Our safest pick: Orioles +3.5.