Saturday’s crushing loss to the Tampa Bay Rays was hard enough to stomach. But when Ben Rice walked off grimacing in pain after taking a pitch off his elbow for the second time in the game, it felt like the Yankees might’ve taken a double hit.
Luckily, they dodged a bullet.
Rice’s X-Rays Come Back Clean
Post-game, the Yankees confirmed that Rice’s x-rays came back clean—no fractures, no structural damage, just a badly bruised elbow. For a team that’s already leaned heavily on his left-handed bat to start the season, that’s a massive sigh of relief.
The 26-year-old confirmed the news himself and seemed optimistic about a quick return. Whether he misses a game or two remains to be seen, but the bigger picture is clear: Rice avoided what could’ve been a devastating setback.
Why the Yankees Can’t Afford to Lose Him
There’s no sugarcoating it—Rice has been one of the Yankees’ most important players in 2025.
He’s hitting .292/.403/.600 with elite power and discipline, ranking in the 99th percentile or better in average exit velocity, barrel percentage, and hard-hit rate. That’s not just good—it’s MVP-caliber good, and he’s doing it as a rookie.
Offensively, he’s helped plug the gap left behind by Juan Soto, who took his bat across town to the Mets. Rice has not only stepped up, he’s become a tone-setter at the top of the lineup, consistently getting on base and giving Aaron Judge RBI opportunities.
Not Just a Hot Streak—It’s Legit
The advanced metrics back it up—this isn’t a fluke. Rice is punishing baseballs with regularity, squaring up pitches in every quadrant of the strike zone and rarely chasing outside of it. He’s settled into the designated hitter role like he was born for it, and even with Giancarlo Stanton expected to return by early June, Rice’s spot in the lineup should remain untouched.
For now, the Yankees will monitor his recovery closely and likely give him a day or two to heal. But the panic button can stay untouched.
Ben Rice is still standing—and that might be the best news the Yankees got all weekend.