Yankees Budding Star Ben Rice's Breakout Season By The Numbers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ben Rice is tearing it up.
If the 2026 American League MVP voting were held today, the New York Yankees' first baseman would likely be a finalist for the award, as the 27-year-old has come into his own as a budding force for the Bronx Bombers. Here's Rice's 2026 campaign by the numbers:
1: Rice leads the Yankees in hits (62), doubles (15), RBIs (44), total bases (132), runs scored (46), batting average (.300), on-base percentage (.393), slugging percentage (.638), OPS (1.031) and OPS+ (184).
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}2: His .638 slugging percentage, 1.031 OPS, 184 OPS+ and .435 weighted on-base percentage each rank second in MLB, according to FanGraphs.
2.7: Rice's 2.7 offensive WAR (wins above replacement) has him in a three-way tie with Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez and Detroit Tigers rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle for seventh in MLB.
5: The number of three-plus-hit games Rice has this season.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}16: The number of multi-hit games Rice has this season.
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17: Rice is tied with Yankees superstar and three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge for the team lead with 17 home runs, who are both tied with Atlanta Braves star first baseman Matt Olson for fifth in the sport.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}40: The number of games Rice has recorded a hit this season.
44: Tino Martinez hit 44 home runs in the 1997 regular season, which was the most homers hit in a single season by a Yankees' first baseman since Lou Gehrig hit 49 home runs in both 1934 and 1936 (Gehrig also hit 47 home runs in 1927 and 46 homers in 1931); Rice is on pace to hit more home runs than Martinez did in 1997 and tracks to challenge Gehrig for the all-time franchise record for a first baseman. Granted, Rice, who has made 34 starts/37 appearances at first base for the Yankees this season, has been the team's designated hitter in 19 games.
90: Rice's 92.3 mph average exit velocity ranks in the 90th percentile of MLB, according to Statcast.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}91: His 50.7% hard-hit percentage ranks in the 91st percentile of the sport.
95: Rice's 17.1% barrel percentage ranks in the 95th percentile of MLB.
Watch Rice and the Yankees take on the AL East-rival Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, which can be viewed at 7:35 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app.