Leaving behind the injuries and lack of big names, the Yankees got a dream start to the season, amassing 36 runs over their first three games. The batters are hitting homers all around the park, and the team is topping the leaderboard. While the first three games caught everyone’s attention thanks to those towering shots and torpedo bats, the series finale against the Diamondbacks will see Ben Rice leading the charge from 1B.

Yes, Paul Goldschmidt is not playing against the Diamondbacks today. Goldschmidt, who hit leadoff in each of the previous four games, is taking his first day off this season. But why? Yankees skipper Aaron Boone had a hilarious take.

Ben Rice was initially expected to start the regular season back in Triple-A before Giancarlo Stanton’s injury changed the equation, but Boone had a different plan. Rice, 26, is hitting .385/.429/.923 this spring, recording 13 at-bats with five strikeouts, two home runs, and two RBIs. He’s been seeing the ball well into the season, prompting Boone to hope Rice could start strong at the top of the batting order.

In the majors, Rice had previously struggled, slashing just .171/.264/.349 with seven home runs in 178 plate appearances. However, he did have a memorable three-homer game for the Yankees last year.

“Rakes.”

That was Boone’s one-word response when asked why he chose Ben Rice as the Yankees’ leadoff hitter tonight. A hilarious way to nod to Rice’s hitting abilities.

The Yankees’ offense had entered the season somewhat half-baked, having lost a significant portion of their expected power without Giancarlo Stanton. Even though not all of Rice’s at-bats have resulted in hits, his increased muscle mass caught Boone’s eye early in camp.

Jasson Dominguez, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Anthony Volpe all remain offensive question marks with breakout potential, but among that bunch, Rice arguably had the most encouraging spring, especially in terms of hitting. Boone acknowledged as much.

“Putting more mass on the ball, so it’s going to come off harder,” Rice said during spring training.

Interestingly, Rice’s career-best hard-hit numbers aren’t the result of mechanical adjustments or swing changes. He simply bulked up over the offseason and showed up to camp with visibly larger arms and chest. And, well, it’s simple: bigger muscles = harder hits. The story is as old as baseball itself.

In 2025, Rice may not be using the Yankees’ new torpedo bats, but he still holds nine of his 11 career-best exit velocities. While the Yankees may have found a solid fill-in for Stanton in Rice, they are still searching for one in their devastated pitching lineup.

The Yankees’ woes with their pitching

The Yankees are still reeling from the loss of Luis Gil and Gerrit Cole from their starting rotation. Cole underwent Tommy John surgery, meaning the Yankees will be without their ace for the entire season. Adding to the concern, Clarke Schmidt, who was expected to get more playing time in Cole’s absence, is also out, reportedly suffering from shoulder soreness.

“We can’t afford any more hits,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman said—and he’s absolutely right.

The current rotation has yet to find its rhythm this season. Take the April 1st game against the Diamondbacks: the D-backs had the edge in strikeouts, leading 14–11.

The injuries, while unfortunate, also underscore the strategic importance of a solid supporting cast. The absence of experienced arms like Gil and Cole means the remaining pitchers must step up. Their ability to maintain control in high-pressure innings will be crucial.

Unfortunately, the bullpen has yet to deliver in those clutch moments. In the first game against the D-Backs, the Yankees called on Mark Leiter Jr. to protect a lead after Corbin Carroll grounded into a force out. With just one out, Leiter struggled immediately. Adam Ottavino came in to replace him, pitching 0.2 innings, striking out one batter, and walking another.

Hopefully, the bullpen issues may be written off as a single poor performance and do not develop into a concerning pattern in the future.

Do you think the Yankees can make a comeback from their pitching woes?