Ben Rice Fantasy Stats

Despite the return of first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year deal, New York Yankees first baseman/catcher Ben Rice should see the majority of playing time at first base in 2026, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. "I think Benny's going to definitely be planning to get the bulk of the playing time over there. And I'm definitely fine with whatever role they need me to [do]," Goldschmidt said. The Yankees said early in the offseason that Rice would play "a lot" against left-handed pitchers, but the return of Goldy complicates things at first base. Goldschmidt had a .981 OPS against southpaws in 2025, so he should play often at first in those situations. Rice, meanwhile, could give Austin Wells a break behind the dish against lefties. As long as Rice swings the bat like he did last year (26 home runs in 138 regular-season games), fantasy managers shouldn't have to worry about his playing time. Rice is a top-10 fantasy first baseman at RotoBaller.

New York Yankees first baseman/catcher Ben Rice could shift to a larger role behind the dish following the signing of veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt split time at first base with Rice last season and typically kept the young first baseman in a platoon role. However, earlier this offseason, Yankees manager Aaron Boone noted that Rice would play "a lot more" against left-handed pitchers. With Goldschmidt rejoining the Bronx Bombers, Rice now faces much more competition for a consistent role. Despite this, The Athletic's Chris Kirschner noted that Goldschmidt's return could move Rice firmly into the No. 2 catcher role, behind Austin Wells. With another infielder on the team, the Yankees could look to keep Rice as the primary first baseman and backup catcher to save an outfield spot, which could allow Jasson Dominguez to stay on the other MLB roster. Last summer, Rice flashed immense upside, posting a .255/.337/.499 line with 26 home runs. He carries top-5 upside at the catcher position and could become a top-3 option if he were to see a full-time role.

The New York Yankees are bringing veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt back on a one-year deal, which could negatively affect the playing time for left-handed-hitting first baseman Ben Rice in 2026. Manager Aaron Boone said last month that Rice would play a lot against left-handed pitchers this year, but that could change a bit now that Goldy is back in the fold. Although Goldschmidt isn't the hitter he once was, he did kill southpaws in 2025 to the tune of a .336/.411/.570 slash line and .981 OPS in 168 plate appearances. The 26-year-old Rice hit only .208 against lefties in 119 regular-season plate appearances, although he did slug .481 against them with seven home runs. Goldy's return isn't great news for Rice's overall fantasy upside, but he will still be on the strong side of a platoon and can also pick up playing time behind the plate. RotoBaller considers Rice a top-10 first base option in 2026.

New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice is expected to play "a lot "against left-handed pitching, according to Greg Joyce of The New York Post. Last season, Rice was typically held out against left-handed pitchers, with the Yankees instead deploying Paul Goldschmidt at first base, who performed well against southpaws. However, with Goldschmidt off the roster, Rice appears not only poised to be the primary first baseman but also to be penciled into the starting lineup on a daily basis. During the 2025 campaign, Rice flashed elite upside, posting a .255/.337/.499 line with 26 home runs and three stolen bases. Under the hood, Rice generated an elite .394 xwOBA, .283 xBA, and a .557 xSLG, suggesting he could be primed for an even more productive 2026 season. Given that he is projected to earn nearly full-time at-bats, Rice should be viewed as a high-end caliber starting first baseman in all formats.

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he sees first baseman Ben Rice as the team's starting first baseman next year, but that won't mean that he will abandon catching behind Austin Wells, accordig to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Rice filled a unique utility role for the Yankees in 2025, serving as the designated hitter, playing first base, and also catching down the stretch. The 26-year-old former 12th-round pick in 2021 out of Dartmouth College took a big step forward in his second season in the big leagues, and first full campaign. In 138 games played, he hit .255 (119-for-467) with 26 home runs, 65 RBI, 74 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 530 trips to the plate. It became apparent pretty quickly that he was the better option at first base over the aging Paul Goldschmidt, but the Yankees needed him to fill multiple roles. Rice is a player on the rise and will be an everyday player in 2026.

New York Yankees first baseman/catcher Ben Rice had a monster game at the plate to lead his team to a 7-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. The 26-year-old finished the afternoon 4-for-5 with a grand slam, a double, and five RBI. He put the exclamation point on his day by taking reliever Keegan Akin deep with the bases loaded in the 10th inning to break a 1-1 tie and all but guarantee a win for the Yankees. While it was just the second homer in September for Rice, he has broken out with 24 during his first full season in the majors. The 26-year-old has also slashed a strong .252/.335/.488 with 62 RBI and 69 runs scored across 133 games and 510 plate appearances.

New York Yankees first baseman/catcher Ben Rice is not in the starting lineup against the Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet on Saturday. Rice started the season limited to first base/designated hitter duties, but he's earned more playing time behind the plate in recent weeks. That's allowed him to shift into an everyday role split between catcher and first base - Rice had made 15 consecutive starts before hitting the bench on Saturday. The 26-year-old is having a breakout year, slashing .243/.337/.486 with 20 home runs, 47 RBI, and 55 runs scored. He may even be underperforming his underlying numbers, as Rice holds a 16.5% barrel rate and a .579 xSLG. Now that he's catcher-eligible, Rice is a valuable player in fantasy as long as he continues to see near-everyday playing time.

New York Yankees first baseman/designated hitter Ben Rice is on other teams' radars as a potential catcher option in advance of the July 31 trade deadline, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. Teams have called the Yankees inquiring about Rice's ability to handle the position, according to Sherman. Rice has minimal experience as a catcher in the majors (Austin Wells is the Yankees' unquestioned starter behind the plate), but the club drafted him as a backstop out of Dartmouth in 2021. He also played the position in the minors, and Sherman says that Rice still thinks of himself as a catcher. However, there's no indication that the playoff-contending Yankees are considering dealing Rice for anything other than a substantial offer. The 25-year-old has been one of New York's top hitters this season, having slashed .232/.323/.468 with 15 home runs in 320 plate appearances. Those are solid numbers, yet Rice may be capable of more. The left-handed hitter ranks among the league's elite in such categories as xwOBA, xBA, xSLG, and average exit velocity, making him a good candidate for positive regression.

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger and first baseman Ben Rice are both sitting for Monday's series opener in Canada against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. Trent Grisham will start in center field and will bat leadoff for the Yankees, while Paul Goldschmidt handles first base and hits sixth versus Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman. Both Grisham and Goldy have plenty of experience against Gausman, with Grisham hitting .222 with an RBI against him in 18 at-bats. Goldschmidt has hit .563 with a solo home run in 16 career at-bats against Gausman. The 30-year-old Bellinger will be sitting after starting in each of the team's last 19 games. The two-time All-Star is having a fine first season in the Bronx, hitting .280 (99-for-354) with 17 long balls, 56 RBI, 56 runs and nine stolen bases in 91 games. Both he and Rice should be back on Tuesday when the series continues.

New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice will take a seat for Game 2 of the series in Toronto against the division-rival Blue Jays on Canada Day at Rogers Centre. Giancarlo Stanton is serving as the designated hitter and batting fifth, while Paul Goldschmidt will man first base and bat leadoff against Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman. It will be Rice's first day off after starting in each of the last seven games. Manager Aaron Boone has had to get more creative to keep Rice's lefty bat in the lineup with Stanton back in the fold, but perhaps Rice will see more time behind the plate, especially with Austin Wells dealing with a finger injury. The 26-year-old Rice has been excellent against righties this season, and although he's hitting just .229 (55-for-240), he holds a strong .295 xBA and has contributed 14 home runs in what is becoming a breakout season for him.