Ben Rice delivered a breakout offensive season for the New York Yankees in 2026, but his defense at first base ranked among the worst in baseball and presents a clear challenge as the club builds its roster for next year.
Rice finished the regular season hitting .264 with a .363 on-base percentage and .534 slugging percentage across 154 games. He drove in 97 runs while posting a .897 OPS and 41 home runs.
The left-handed hitter continued his production into October, collecting four home runs between the American League Wild Card Series and the American League Division Series. He batted .421 with a 1.605 OPS in five postseason games as the Yankees swept the Boston Red Sox before falling in a three-game sweep to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Despite those offensive numbers, the Yankees need Rice to improve defensively if he is to remain a regular at first base. At 27, he is viewed as too young to serve primarily as a designated hitter on a full-time basis.
“Despite how good Rice has proved to be as a hitter (41 home runs, .897 OPS), he was bad defensively at first last season,” The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty wrote.
“Of the 43 players who played 300 innings at the position, Rice ranked second to last in DRS at minus-8. Only the Seattle Mariners’ Josh Naylor was worse at minus-9.”
Rice appeared in 56 games at first base and logged 474.2 innings there. He committed four errors while recording a .991 fielding percentage, numbers that placed him near the bottom of the defensive rankings for the position.
The Yankees paired him at first with Paul Goldschmidt, a four-time Gold Glove Award winner who shared the role throughout the season. Goldschmidt’s presence and instruction did not produce measurable improvement in Rice’s defensive metrics.
Playing first base more regularly would allow the Yankees greater flexibility with their designated hitter spots. Aaron Judge, who dealt with injuries during the year, could shift to DH more often to preserve his health over the long term.
Luis Garcia Jr. began his career as a second baseman with the Washington Nationals but graded as one of the weakest defenders in the majors at the middle-infield position. A stronger showing from Rice at first would ease the construction of the everyday lineup.
Rice’s career arc shows steady offensive growth since his 2024 debut. He hit seven home runs with a .613 OPS as a rookie before improving to 26 home runs and an .836 OPS in 2025.
His 2026 power surge ranked him among the American League leaders in home runs. The Yankees, who finished 93-68 and second in the AL East, relied on that production during stretches when other regulars were unavailable.
Improving range, positioning and receiving at first base remains the primary area for development. Without gains there, the club may face difficult choices about how much defensive value it is willing to sacrifice for Rice’s bat.
The Yankees have indicated Rice will be a central piece of the 2027 lineup regardless. Balancing his offensive impact with the need for competent defense at first base will shape their offseason planning.
