The New York Yankees can rest assured that Aaron Judge will return in 2026, but they still face a short-term problem: replacing him for the next four to six weeks. That means that they’ll need to rely on players such as Ben Rice to shoulder the load offensively.
Rice, 27, has broken out into one of the game’s premier hitters in 2026. The left-handed slugger has slashed .300/.393/.638 with 17 home runs and a 181 wRC+ in his first 57 games of the season. Only Houston Astros‘ star-slugger and 2026 American League MVP contender Yordan Alvarez is higher among MLB hitters.
Rice’s breakout wasn’t entirely unexpected inside the organization.
“My first taste of him in Spring Training was of ’24,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told MLB Network’s Mark DeRosa on MLB Central. “He came up in ’24, had some success, had some struggles, and you kind of saw it.
“Last year, he put together a really great season, hitting famously into some tough luck. This year, it’s gone to even another level where I think he’s putting himself in that class of one of the best hitters in the league.”
– Aaron Boone on Ben Rice
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Ben Rice Breakout Leading to Bigger Role Before Aaron Judge Injury
GettyBen Rice and Aaron Judge were the AL’s best 1-2 punch in the heart of the Yankees order.
This breakout was coming, as Boone said, based on his 2025 contact quality. Rice produced a .394 xwOBA compared to a .358 wOBA in 138 games that season. That made him a popular breakout candidate in 2026, with better batted ball luck.
Unsurprisingly, that held to be true. Rice has improved his walk rate from 9.4% to 12.6%, adding on-base ability to his strong batted ball metrics. That’s led to him moving up in the lineup, batting in front of Aaron Judge on a nightly basis.
He’s on track to represent the club at the 2026 MLB All-Star Game and could be the American League’s starting first baseman. It would be the first All-Star selection of his young career.
With such a potent bat, the Yankees are trying to figure out where to play him. Rice came up as a catcher in their system, but they’ve been transitioning him to a first base role.
In 2026, the club reprised its setup of Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt at the position. That gives the Yankees a stable veteran presence, with the three-time Gold Glove winner mentoring the young slugger. Rice is in the lineup every day, regardless of whether Goldschmidt is in the lineup or not.
What Can the Yankees Do Without Aaron Judge?
GettyAaron Judge of the New York Yankees will be sidelined for a significant amount of time
Ben Rice certainly solves much of the equation for what the Yankees can do offensively while their MVP candidate is on the mend. With a four to six-week time period before the club can make any steps on Aaron Judge’s recovery, they have to get by on internal depth for now.
The question comes down to what they can do with their outfield. Rice doesn’t solve that equation, since he’s already in the lineup. Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham are the only two healthy outfielders left on their active roster. So a corresponding move will have to be necessary.
The Yankees face a dilemma on how to deal with right field before the trade deadline. They could call up Spencer Jones, who struggled in his first action in the big leagues. Or they could just have one of their three utility infielders assume the role, likely Jose Caballero. Anthony Volpe would assume the everyday shortstop job during that time period.
Even though the trade deadline is two months away, the Yankees will still try to find ways to strengthen their lineup.
Yankees Turn to 2026 Breakout Star After Aaron Judge Injury, Testing Lineup Depth