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Yankees' Aaron Boone makes head-scratching Ben Rice, Paul Goldschmidt decision against Angels originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is not making any friends with Ben Rice supporters.
On Tuesday's episode of Talkin' Yanks, Boone revealed that Paul Goldschmidt will start at first base over Rice for the second consecutive day. The 38-year-old gets the start against Los Angeles Angels lefty Reid Detmers.
Yes, Goldschmidt hits left-handers very well, as his .981 OPS in 149 at-bats against southpaws in 2025 clearly shows. But Rice is the first baseman of the future, and frankly, one of the best hitters in the Majors.
Rice leads MLB with a 1.253 OPS and won't improve against left-handers unless he's regularly exposed to them. Goldschmidt is a potential future Hall of Famer, but the decision to pencil him in the lineup over a rising star on back-to-back days is interesting, to say the least.
MORE: Aaron Judge's case as the greatest right-handed hitter of all time
Yesterday, Rice pinch hit for third baseman Amed Rosario in the bottom of the fifth and replaced Goldschmidt at first. Ryan McMahon took over at third base.
Boone must figure out a better way to give Goldschmidt consistent at-bats without taking away valuable playing time from Rice. There may be no easy way to do it, but starting a budding All-Star on the bench two straight days against a pitching staff like the Angels have is not ideal.
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