Ben Rice to face more lefties in 2026
by Nicholas Rodriguez | Yankees Correspondent | Wed, Dec 10th 2:53pm EST
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that he expects Ben Rice to play "a lot" against left-handed pitching in 2026. (Greg Joyce on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact:
Rice, who was recently confirmed by manager Aaron Boone as the Yankees’ starting first baseman entering the season, is also expected to face more left-handed pitching in 2026. Last season, he logged just 106 at-bats against southpaws, hitting .208 with a .752 OPS, compared to 361 at-bats against right-handers, where he posted a .269 average and .860 OPS. Boone often kept him out of the lineup with Paul Goldschmidt on the roster, but with Goldschmidt now a free agent, the Yankees appear ready to give Rice the everyday role at first base rather than using him in a platoon. Given the news, and his catcher eligibility, Rice is someone worth targeting in fantasy drafts.
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