The Yankees have had enough with injuries this year. The injury bug has hit them hard enough this year—losing another emerging piece would add more fuel to the fire. The slugging department has already lost Giancarlo Stanton, and one more injury will make the team vulnerable. With Aaron Judge needing to stay healthy, the rotation is already walking a tightrope, and depth is everything right now. Well, the luck had a different plan with the Bronx and came up with another injury scare. This time it’s Ben Rice.

Ben Rice has been swinging a hot bat lately, and seeing him leave the game after taking a second hit-by-pitch isn’t what they need, especially with the offense finding its rhythm. No team wants to lose a key contributor, especially someone who’s been making an impact at the plate. However, Rice’s exit from Saturday’s game against the Rays is something to worry about for the team and the fans going ahead.

“Ben Rice left the game with a left elbow contusion. He is headed for X-rays and a CT scan, Yankees say,” MLB insider Greg Joyce updated.

It all started after Rice got injured against the Rays after being hit by a pitch twice during the game. The second HBP appeared to be more serious, targeting his elbow, which is always a red flag for hitters. Rice is no exception! Even though he stayed in the game and ran the bases both times, the Yankees pulled him in the sixth inning out of caution. Well, the latest update now confirms a sigh of relief for the fans.

After the game, Rice underwent X-rays and a CT scan to rule out any structural damage. Fortunately, both tests came back negative, and he’s been listed as day-to-day. No fracture or serious injury—just a painful bruise, most likely.

A scare, but it looks like Rice avoided something major! Yankees were smart to play it safe, especially considering how hot he’s been at the plate lately. Now that’s a huge relief—especially the part about the X-rays and CT scan coming back clean. Let’s be honest here, with how fragile the season can be, the Yankees dodged a bullet here. Let’s just hope the bruising doesn’t linger and affect his swing.

You think they’ll give him a couple of days off as a cooling period? Considering how the offense is performing right now, losing Rice in the long term will be too costly for the team.

The Yankees’ prolific offense is putting up some good numbers

The Yankees are absolutely raking right now. Well, it’s just 19 games in the regular season, and the amassed numbers don’t just suggest a hot start—they scream dominance. Averaging nearly 6 runs per game with a 137 OPS+? That’s elite-level production across the board. 5.95 runs/game: Best in baseball. That’s the kind of number that wins divisions. Surely! What’s more, the Yankees are tied first with 34 home runs so far!

What makes this even more dangerous is that they’re doing this with contributions from all parts of the lineup. If guys like Ben Rice keep stepping up, and the stars stay healthy, this team is built for a deep October run. Rice has been a revelation so far. That .297 average, 5 homers, 9 RBI, and 1.001 OPS over just 18 games? Well, that’s not just filling in—that’s producing like a middle-of-the-order threat!

For a guy still getting his feet wet at baseball’s biggest stage, he’s showing advanced plate discipline and real power. Moreover, the fact that he’s already got five bombs is a testament to how quickly he’s adjusting to MLB pitching. Hence, if he stays healthy, Rice could carve out a permanent spot in the lineup—even when everyone else is healthy. It could end up being one of those sneaky breakout stories of the 2025 season.

What do you think—should the Yankees consider keeping him locked in at DH, or even giving him some space at first base to keep his bat in the lineup?