Aaron Boone gives verdict on Yankees slugger rivaling Aaron Judge’s hitting metrics
New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge has got some competition from within his own group. First baseman Ben Rice, who made his debut last year, is hitting .273, along with five home runs, two stolen bases and seven RBIs. Meanwhile, Judge is leading the majors with six home runs, two stolen bases and 20 RBIs.
The hitting duel of both has kept the Yankees afloat despite disappointing performances from the rest of the unit. The team is 10-7 after Tuesday's 4-2 win against the Kansas City Royals.
Before the game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone lauded Rice's sustainable contribution throughout the season thus far.
"Well, I don’t want to say he’s going to be Aaron Judge," Boone said. "But I think he can really hit. I mean, I think you asked me the other day — like, what, he rakes.
"I think that’s it. I think he is going to be a really good hitter. Maybe he already is a really good hitter in this league. He controls the strike zone well and hits the ball extremely hard. That’s a pretty good recipe as a hitter. So, you know, I’m expecting him to be a really good major league hitter for a long time," he added.
Yankees fans will be hoping to see Ben Rice have a breakout year and share the spotlight alongside his captain.
Aaron Judge's teammate Ben Rice is making leadoff spot his own within Yankees
Entering Tuesday's game against the Royals, Rice has made five starts at the leadoff spot in which he has gone 6-for-18 with two homers, a double and a triple. Moreover, he has walked seven times as well.
When asked about the change in the batting position and whether it affects his slugging, he said via TheAthletic.com:
“I think the biggest thing is when you move to a certain spot in the order, you’re probably there for a reason. I think the biggest thing is really not to change too much.”
Ben Rice's 1.121 OPS (till Saturday's game) comes second on the Yankees behind Judge at 1.224. Boone has liked what he sees from Rice at the plate.
“Benny’s done such a good job up there,” Boone said. “He controls the strike zone, and then he’s so dangerous, too.”
Centerfielder Cody Bellinger, who has been following Rice since spring, said:
“Same thing that we saw in spring. It hasn’t really changed. Just locked in. Locked into his plan. Locked into his approach. Guy who hits the ball extremely hard. It’s very fun to watch. It’s very impressive.”
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Rice emerging as a star to see if Boone’s forecast proves accurate.