The New York Yankees are happy to add Ben Rice, another talented infielder, to their lineup. But lately, they have been suffering a lot of injury issues. That’s something they would like to avoid. In 2023, Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, Jasson Dominguez, and more, several key players of the team got their names on the Injured List. They suffered severe injuries that led them to miss the rest of the season. As a result, the NY side failed to make the postseason without a strong offense.
That’s what the Yankees would like to avoid this year. But again, like last year, Anthony Rizzo had another collision. As a result, he will be on the 10-day Injured List due to his right forearm fracture. Now, to replace him in the infield, the NY side gave a chance to their No. 12 prospect on MLB Pipeline from the minor league – Ben Rice. He is just 25 years old. It is a big deal for any kid to wear the Pinstripe uniform. And Rice had an awesome experience in his MLB debut.
Ben Rice Had A Whirlwind MLB Debut
According to Gabriel Trevino of NJ Advance Media, roll call was the last thing Ben Rice had in his mind about all those things he wanted to do in his MLB debut. Rice’s brand-new teammates asked him something interesting an hour before his first game in the clubhouse. They asked how he would like to recognize the bleacher creatures when they chant his name in the right field. In reply, the debutant mentioned that he had to do something that had to do with rice. Hence, he is eating a bowl of rice for the bleacher creatures. The star from the Triple-A games mentioned he grew up rooting for the 27-time World Series champions.
Hence, the experience of playing his first game for the Yankees has been a “Whirlwind one.” Ben Rice mentioned that he was on the move all day. He was running around just to acclimatize himself to the big league. Then, the Yankees threw him right into the game. But Rice said, “It was a real special day.” On Monday night, he got the news that he needed to report to the Bronx, so he drove the next morning. Moreover, on Tuesday, the Yankees debutant had a strong contingent to support him from his family, his girlfriend and her family, then a lot of his friends.
Yankees Manager Showed A Lot Of Faith In Rice
In just 11 games in the Triple-A, Ben Rice hit a .333 average and three home runs. After his MLB debut, Aaron Boone mentioned that Rice was the guy who had the potential to give them the greatest impact. Moreover, the skipper added that certainly, the 25-year-old debutant performed at a very high level in the minor league. Also, Boone added, “Rice is the guy who can really hit.” Moreover, the debutant mentioned that he is a big fan of Derek Jeter. He lived in Boston but was always a Yankees fan.
His father told him that Jeter was a good role model. After the Yankees won the game 4-2 against the Baltimore Orioles, Ben Rice mentioned that it was good to check that wish off the list as quickly as he could. He feels a “Good weight off my shoulders.” Now, he believes he can just go out there and breathe so that he can play the way he normally does.
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