Yankees Need to Keep Hands off Their Emerging Superstar Bat
The New York Yankees’ re-acquisition of Paul Goldschmidt might look, at first glance, like a classic power play, adding a former MVP and proven veteran to their roster. However, the real story isn’t about Goldschmidt’s arrival; it’s about what the move means for Ben Rice. For the first time, the Yankees are signaling that first base truly belongs to their rising star, with Goldschmidt stepping in only as a mentor and backup. The temptation to lean on a big name will be strong, but this is the moment for the Yankees to let their young talent shine and resist the urge to tinker with a position that should go untouched.
The mishandling of Jasson Dominguez stands as a stark cautionary tale for the Yankees on how not to treat a top prospect. Despite his immense talent and sky-high potential, Dominguez has been shuffled back to Triple-A for playing time and dangled in trade rumors, signaling a lack of genuine trust or commitment from the organization. Instead of nurturing and investing in their former prized outfielder, the Yankees have shown Dominguez little respect, undermining his development by playing him out of position and, infrequently, diminishing his value. His situation is a glaring example of how mismanagement can stall a young star’s rise, and why Ben Rice, who forced his way onto the roster with his production, must be handled differently if the Yankees hope to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
The Yankees do not fool anyone. They ran back the whole team and are now fascinated with Project Platoon. The mentality that sees them bring back the same core while recycling familiar strategies creates a perfect environment for the front office to fall back on old habits, like over-managing lineups and micromanaging young players’ roles. Instead of fully committing to Ben Rice as their everyday first baseman, they may be tempted to revert to a platoon system or split his playing time at the first hint of a slump, especially if a veteran like Goldschmidt is waiting in the wings. This approach not only risks stunting Rice’s growth but also undermines the momentum he built with his breakout season. If the Yankees try to fix what is not broken, insisting on shuffling Rice in and out of the lineup or only playing him against right-handers, they will have wasted his progression and ruined another prospect.
The Yankee offense isn’t nearly as dangerous as the surface stats might suggest, and Ben Rice is one of the few true forces in the lineup. In his breakout 2025 campaign, Rice hit .255 with 26 home runs, 65 RBIs, and a .337 on-base percentage while slugging .499 in 138 games. Yet, he might have been even more productive, as his expected stats, tracked by Baseball Savant, reveal that Rice was among the league leaders in hard-hit percentage at 97%, average exit velocity of 93.3 mph, and a barrel percentage at 92%. These are elite numbers, typically reserved for superstars.
Rice’s Baseball Savant page is a sea of red, each statcast category shaded to indicate he’s at or near the top of the sport in today’s most advanced metrics. As NYY Underground podcast founder Pete Simonetti and co-host Frances Lii have pointed out, Rice’s profile is almost serial killer-level in its intensity, with red all over his page. In fact, his underlying data compares favorably with the likes of Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, two of the most feared hitters in baseball. For a team that claims to be driven by analytics, the Yankees can’t afford to ignore what the numbers say. Rice is already producing at an elite level, and he deserves to be in the lineup every day.
In summary, Paul Goldschmidt is a smart, low-risk addition who brings invaluable experience and stability at a reasonable cost. He should serve only as a complement, not a roadblock, to Ben Rice’s rise at first base. Goldschmidt’s presence is logical for spot starts, mentoring, and late-inning defense, but it’s clear that Rice has earned his shot to be the everyday first baseman. With his impressive performance on both sides of the ball, Rice represents the Yankees’ best hope for growth and a new identity at the position. The organization must let him play, develop, and lead, allowing Goldschmidt to contribute in a supporting role without impeding Rice’s ascent to first base stardom.
