The New York Yankees were the best team in baseball for the first two-and-a-half months of the 2024 MLB season. Since then, they've been the worst, going 5-16 since June 14. Despite their recent struggles, rookie Ben Rice has confidence in the team.
He spoke about it after the Yankees' 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday.
When asked to describe the feeling in the Yankees' clubhouse, Rice responded, “I think it's just that we know we're better than this, right? Obviously, I wasn't here for the majority of the first part of the year, but everyone saw what we could do when we're at our best. So, I think it's just a matter of time before we dig ourselves out.”
Yankees GM Brian Cashman was on hand to watch New York fall to the Rays as he prepares for the MLB Draft. He shared his thoughts on the Yankees' slump.
“It’s been a struggle, obviously,” Cashman said. “Thankfully, we got out of the gates really strong. Hopefully that cushion will allow us to work through this, hopefully sooner than later, because it’s gone on long enough. It’s been a tough stretch for us.”
“You can hit some rough spots, and we’re certainly as rough as they come right now,” he added.
Yankees rookie Ben Rice has impressed
New York Yankees rookie Ben Rice has hit the ground running since being called up from the minor leagues. Rice made franchise history on Saturday, hitting three home runs in one game against the Boston Red Sox in a 14-4 victory.
Rice was promoted to the Yankees in late June and has been playing very well. In 19 games, he's hitting .267 with five home runs and 14 RBI, also drawing eight walks and striking out 13 times.
The Yankees drafted Rice in the 12th round in 2021. Boone has been extremely impressed with what he has brought to the table for the Bronx Bombers since joining the MLB team.
“You see the calm at-bats he takes,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He understands the strike zone. He doesn’t flinch a bunch. Easy takes; you see the pull-side power that he has, too. He combines controlling the strike zone with some barrel awareness and the ability to hit the ball in the air from both sides.
“He’s coming off an outstanding year last year in the Minor Leagues that put him on the map and burst onto the scene,” Boone said. “He earned a trip to Spring Training and continued that through spring and then to start the year. He’s come up here and given us quality at-bats each and every day.”
Ben Rice looks to be a key piece of the Yankees' future moving forward.
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