The New York Yankees revealed their lineup for Sunday’s clash against the New York Mets.
According to the organization, Ben Rice will be leading off today.
Yankees’ Ben Rice Leading Off vs. Mets
With 27-year-old Rice leading off, the entirety of the lineup will look as follows:
- Ben Rice (DH)
- Cody Bellinger (LF)
- Aaron Judge (RF)
- Luis García Jr. (1B)
- Spencer Jones (CF)
- Anthony Volpe (2B)
- Ryan McMahon (3B)
- Austin Wells (C)
- José Caballero (SS)
Right-hander Cam Schlittler will be starting on the mound.
Heading into the matchup, Rice is slashing .259/.354/.523 with a career-high .877 OPS and 37 homers through 141 games. He’s posted 22 doubles, three triples and 89 RBIs.
This is only his third season playing in the major leagues, but he’s been an impressive sight to watch on the mound.
When slugger Aaron Judge was sidelined earlier in the season, Rice stepped up and stunned the baseball world with his offensive power.
His season hasn’t been without flaws, but considering he’s still rather fresh into the big leagues compared to his veteran teammates, he holds great promise. Perhaps he hasn’t garnered as much attention as he deserves.
Rice was selected by New York 363rd overall in the 12th round of the 2021 MLB draft. He made his debut in June 2024.
It wasn’t entirely clear what the Yankees were getting from him when they first promoted him.
But his ability to slide in and plug gaps is irreplaceable — this is the kind of flexibility that makes a ballplayer valuable.
Where the Yankees Stand As the Postseason Nears
New York faced obstacles that could have completely flipped their season upside down.
Somehow, someway, they’ve held down the No. 2 spot in the American League East at 85-63 overall.
They’re still below the Tampa Bay Rays (89-59), but they sit above the Boston Red Sox (81-68), the Toronto Blue Jays (74-75) and the Baltimore Orioles (72-77).
As of Sept. 13, FanGraphs’ MLB Playoff Odds give the Yankees a 10.6% chance of winning their division and a 9.8% chance of winning the Fall Classic this year.
The Yankees are currently in the midst of their three-game series against the Mets.
Things were going in their favor after clinching a 6-4 victory on Sept. 11, but the Mets redeemed themselves with a whopping 12-2 victory on Sept. 12.
With one more game to go, both ballclubs have an opportunity to bring home a series win.
Following Sunday’s matchup, the Yankees will head to Target Field to take on the Minnesota Twins for another three-game stretch.
The postseason grows closer each day, adding pressure to organizations as they look to cement themselves in contention.
New York Yankees Announce Ben Rice Decision Before Series Finale Against Mets