Yankees veteran first baseman is a ‘long shot’ to play in ALDS

Anthony Rizzo suffered a finger fracture on his fourth and fifth fingers, an injury that has caused the Yankees to call up Ben Rice once more. While he wasn’t placed on the IL, Aaron Boone told reporters that a return for the American League Division Series would be a long shot. In the midst of a career-worst season, the Yankees may have seen the last of the former All-Star in pinstripes. This comes after an unfortunate arm fracture against the Red Sox in June which sidelined him for nearly three months, marking the second freak accident injury of the season for Rizzo.

Ben Rice is playing first base today for the Yankees in their final game of the regular season which will begin at 3:05 PM.

Yankees Likely Will Not Have Anthony Rizzo For the ALDS

Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The Yankees are dealing with another injury to a player who was projected to not only make, but actively participate on their postseason roster. Anthony Rizzo’s finger fracture comes just days after it was announced that Nestor Cortes would undergo an MRI on his left elbow, and while his UCL remains intact, the shutdown period knocks him out for a potential ALDS return.

Jake Cousins, a key cog of the Yankees’ bullpen, was sidelined with a right pectoral strain, although he’s begun throwing and hopes to return for Game 1 next week. Rizzo had performed decently in his return from the IL, posting a 97 wRC+ and providing a strong glove at first base. The problem is that he lacks any power, relying on singles to get on-base and its a strategy that rarely works out for a slow lumbering first baseman.

Still, the experience he has was valued higher than what Ben Rice can bring to the table with his bat, so this is a late-season switch that comes out of left field.

Rice certainly has some offensive upside, with good power and great swing decisions, but he ran into poor luck before seeing his swing get out of sync in August. The 25-year-old rookie could make a serious run for the first base job in 2025, and this could give him a chance to audition for it while also trying to hold onto the job in the postseason.

Across 49 games he posted an underwhelming 76 wRC+, but his .343 xwOBA suggests that he should have been a firmly above-average bat this year. Still a young player with time to grow, this could be the break that helps him get red-hot and hit some big home runs in October. After being demoted to Triple-A, Rice hit nine home runs in 19 games and looked like the hitter who the organization raved about for the last two seasons.