Yankees' Rice Surges.
Yankees' Ben Rice Blasts 21st Homer, Set for All-Star Festivities.
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Key Points
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Rice’s 433-foot, three-run homer came with two outs in the second inning against Reds starter Rhett Lowder; the ball left his bat at 109.1 mph and carried to straightaway center to extend the Yankees’ lead to 4-0 en route to a 5-0 win.
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In addition to his surge in the past week, Rice has been producing on a longer stretch: he’s batting .320 over his last six games (8-for-25 with three homers and seven RBIs) and since May 26 is hitting .333 across 20 games with five home runs, 19 RBIs, and an OPS over 1.000.
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Asked about Rice’s role while Aaron Judge is out with a fractured rib, Cam Schlittler said: “He’s the lead man… He’s a front-runner right now, and with Judge being out now, guys have stepped up… and you expect that out of him.”
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The All-Star schedule could put extra spotlight on both stars: the Home Run Derby is set for July 13 at Citizens Bank Park, the All-Star Game is Tuesday, July 14, and Schlittler (8-3, 1.74 ERA) “might get the American League starting pitcher honors” if his rotation lines up—potentially on three days’ rest.
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Rice’s hoped-for Derby pitching matchup adds more detail: he said his father, Dan Rice—a Massachusetts attorney who was a pitcher on the Brown baseball team in the 1980s—still throws to him “my whole life” and in the offseason when he’s home for about a month, and it “would mean so much” if Dan is his Home Run Derby pitcher.
Ben Rice launched a 433-foot, three-run home run Friday night to reach 21 homers on the season, powering the New York Yankees to a 5-0 shutout win over the Cincinnati Reds at Yankee Stadium. The blast came off starter Rhett Lowder in the second inning, leaving Rice's bat at 109.1 mph and landing in straightaway center field to put New York up 4-0.
Right-hander Cam Schlittler matched Rice's dominance, throwing six innings of shutout ball with 13 strikeouts and zero walks. The Yankees, now 46-28 and first in the AL East, are riding a surge powered by multiple breakout performers — all while captain Aaron Judge sits out with a fractured rib.
Rice Steps Into Judge's Shoes With Power Surge
Aaron Judge was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right first rib on June 4, sidelined for at least four to six weeks, according to ESPN. Rice has filled the void in a big way. Over his last six games, he is batting .320 — 8-for-25 with three homers and seven RBIs. Since May 26, across 20 games, he is hitting .333 with five home runs, 19 RBIs, and an OPS over 1.000.
Schlittler praised Rice after the win. "He's the lead man," Schlittler said, according to Associated Press. "He's a front-runner right now, and with Judge being out, guys have stepped up — and you expect that out of him." Rice's season line now stands at .294 with 21 homers, 52 RBIs, and a 1.005 OPS, according to Baseball Reference.
Schlittler Dominates Reds With Career-Best Stuff
Cam Schlittler was nearly untouchable Friday. He threw 96 pitches over six innings, allowing just four hits and striking out 13. His four-seam fastball averaged 97.9 mph and touched triple digits five times, according to OptaSTATS. At 8-3 with a 1.74 ERA, he now holds the lowest ERA by a Yankee through 16 starts since Whitey Ford in 1964, according to ESPN.
The Yankees pulled Schlittler after 96 pitches despite his dominance. Analysts at Pitcher List note the team appears "conscious of his workload," suggesting New York may limit him in the second half to keep him fresh for October. NY Knicks forward Josh Hart attended the game and posted on social media that Schlittler is "the Cy Young winner hands down," according to Sportsnet.
Rice Eyes Home Run Derby With His Father on the Mound
The All-Star spotlight is zeroing in on Rice. The Home Run Derby is set for July 13 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, with the All-Star Game the following day. Rice is a front-runner for the AL starting first base spot, according to Just Baseball. Schlittler could earn American League starting pitcher honors if his rotation lines up — potentially on three days' rest.
Rice hopes his father, Dan Rice, will be his Derby pitcher. Dan Rice is a Massachusetts employment attorney and former pitcher for Brown University in the 1980s. "He's been throwing to me my whole life," Ben Rice said, according to Yankees Magazine. "It would mean so much" if his father stands on the mound in Philadelphia. The two still throw together each offseason when Rice is home for about a month.
Yankees Bullish, But Questions Linger About the Long Haul
Not everyone is convinced the surge will last. SI.com points out that Rice's batting average dipped to .233 in the period immediately after Judge's injury, warning that pitchers are adjusting and that protection from veteran Paul Goldschmidt, 38, is the key variable. If Goldschmidt's production slips, Rice could see far tougher at-bats going forward.
The Reds had their own takeaways from Friday. NBC Sports noted that despite giving up four runs in the second inning, Lowder retired 10 of the final 12 batters he faced. Cincinnati's coverage framed the loss more as a Schlittler problem than a Reds collapse. For New York, though, the night was a clean statement: even without Judge, this team has the firepower to win big.
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