Yankees' Ben Rice is turning his weakness into strength to become one of MLB’s best hitters

Last season was a breakout year for Ben Rice, posting a respectable .255/.337/.499 stat line with 26 home runs in just 467 at-bats for the New York Yankees. 

Coming off a dull debut year that saw him finish with a mere .171 average (though it came with a three-homer game), Rice proved he could adjust to the majors fairly quickly, going from a rookie trying to find his footing to a middle-of-the-order bat in a year.

As evidenced by his Baseball Savant page, Rice’s metrics were off the charts. Baseball Savant even had Rice pegged as one of the game’s unluckiest hitters, projecting an expected batting average of .280 given his lofty metrics at the plate.

But despite his impressive sophomore campaign, Rice was still only a platoon player. Against lefties, the Yankees first baseman often found his starting role usurped by veteran slugger Paul Goldschmidt. If there was one flaw in Rice’s game, it was hitting against southpaws.

Against righties, Rice slashed .269/.356/.504 with 19 home runs in 361 at-bats. In 106 at-bats against southpaws, these numbers fell to .208/.271/.481 with seven home runs.

Now, in 2026, Rice’s Baseball Savant page is once more drowning in that familiar red; only this time, the stats produced by his excellent metrics are vastly improved. Rice is slashing an impeccable .304/.397/.649 with 17 home runs in 191 at-bats. His 1.046 OPS is the second-highest in baseball. What could be the cause of such a drastic change?

Introducing the new and improved Ben Rice, lefty masher 

Without a doubt, Rice has improved as a hitter against both righties and lefties. But unlike last year, Rice no longer squabbles against lefties, currently posting an admirable .298/.385/.614 stat line with five home runs in 57 at-bats when facing left-handers. This is just a hair below his mark against righties, hitting .306/.403/.664 with 12 long balls in 134 at-bats. Adding to his newfound stardom, he is also becoming more proficient in drawing walks, boosting his on-base percentage. 

And though 57 at-bats may only be a large sample size, his vast improvement against lefties is an encouraging sign that he’s become a dual threat, outgrowing the platoon role he was thrust into last season. In any case, as long as he remains one of the game’s top hitters, it will be difficult for manager Aaron Boone to bench Rice in favor of Goldy, even if the former MVP is hitting lefties hard (and he is .340/.456/.723). As of now, Rice is starting to look like a cornerstone of the Yankees offense for years to come.