Ben Rice Rivals Judge for Yankees Lead With Elite Offensive Numbers
New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice has established himself as one of the most productive hitters in the American League during the 2026 season, posting a .300 batting average, 17 home runs and 44 RBI through his first 56 games. His 1.031 OPS and 184 OPS+ each rank second in Major League Baseball, according to FanGraphs, placing him alongside the sport's elite offensive performers and within range of AL MVP consideration.
Rice, 27, leads the Yankees in ten offensive categories this season - hits (62), doubles (15), RBI (44), total bases (132), runs scored (46), batting average (.300), on-base percentage (.393), slugging percentage (.638), OPS (1.031) and OPS+ (184). His .638 slugging percentage and .435 weighted on-base percentage also rank second in MLB. He has recorded a hit in 40 of his games this season, with 16 multi-hit performances and five games in which he reached base three or more times.
Rice's 17 home runs draw level with three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge for the Yankees' team lead, and both are tied with Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson for fifth in the majors. Should Rice sustain his current home run pace, he would surpass the franchise record for home runs by a Yankees first baseman in a single season - a mark set by Tino Martinez, who hit 44 in 1997. That total itself stood as the highest by a Yankees first baseman since Lou Gehrig hit 49 in both 1934 and 1936. Rice has made 34 starts at first base this season and appeared there in 37 games, with 19 additional appearances as designated hitter. His 2.7 offensive WAR places him seventh in MLB, per FanGraphs, in a three-way tie with Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez and Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle.
Rice's contact quality reinforces the production. His 92.3 mph average exit velocity ranks in the 90th percentile of MLB, his 50.7 hard-hit percentage in the 91st, and his 17.1 barrel percentage in the 95th, according to Statcast. The Yankees host the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on Saturday at 7:35 p.m. ET, broadcast on FOX and the FOX Sports app.
