David Lennon: Ben Rice's performance puts Aaron Judge's absence on the back burner
Yankees' Ben Rice follows through on his eighth-inning grand slam against the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of their Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Aaron Judge spent Tuesday night’s Game 1 watching from the dugout, wearing a navy-blue hoodie with his pinstriped pants, reduced to being a spectator for this Wild Card Series.
But Ben Rice wiped away all the hysteria generated by the three-time MVP’s absence with a pair of mighty swings, going deep twice -- including a grand slam -- and driving in six runs in the Yankees’ 9-0 rout of the Red Sox.
Despite being a native of Cohasset, Massachusetts, Rice grew up a Yankees fan, and he again tormented his (former) hometown team almost singlehandedly at the plate, helped by a big assist from fellow New Englander Cam Schlittler (Walpole, Massachusetts) on the mound.
With Schlittler protecting a 1-0 lead in the fifth, Rice hammered a 423-foot blast into Monument Park, a 108-mph missile off lefty reliever Erik Miller.
By the eighth, the Yankees already were in control, but Rice made sure the Sox would be having nightmares later that night. He punched a hole in Boston’s self-esteem by launching a 408-foot grand slam into the Yankees' bullpen, creating a frenzy among the sellout crowd of 48,437.
As much as Game 1 started out as Schlittler’s show -- two singles, one walk and 10 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings -- Rice was the one who loudly slammed the door. Just as important, he convinced the Yankees that maybe, just maybe, the guy who smashed 41 homers during the regular season might be capable of pulling off a fairly decent Judge impression for this wild-card round and beyond.
“He pummeled pitches all night,” manager Aaron Boone said. “They went after him a little bit and he made them pay. I mean, some great left-on-left at-bats, the double to right-center smoked [off Payton Tolle in the first inning]. The homer out the front door in Monument Park. And an exclamation point there at the end. Just a big-time night by a great hitter.”
Rice’s six RBIs matched the franchise record for a postseason game and made him the fifth player to accomplish the feat, joining Robinson Cano, Hideki Matsui, Bernie Williams and Bobby Richardson.
Afterward, when Rice was asked if he remembered growing up in Cohasset and watching Matsui match that record in the 2009 World Series or seeing childhood hero Derek Jeter in action, he smiled.
“A little bit,” Rice said. “It's probably a little hazy for me. I was pretty young. But, of course, Jeter, I idolized him. I was always playing with the Yankees on MLB 2K6 when I was a little guy. And just an easy team to root for. They're always so good. Pretty cool.”
The Yankees of Rice’s generation, however, are trying to win their first championship since Matsui delivered in the final game in 2009. For that to happen, Rice will have to play a major role, just as he did during Judge’s 3 1/2-month absence during the regular season.
Rice finished with MVP-worthy stats, and he’s bound to get significant votes when the results for the award are announced in November. But there was some tough times, too. After his first All-Star appearance and his first-round exit in the Home Run Derby, Rice went into a post-break swoon, batting .174 with five home runs, 14 RBIs and a .604 OPS during a 35-game stretch.
Slumps happen. The key is fighting back, and Rice rebounded to hit .327 with seven homers and a 1.023 OPS in his final 28 games, which apparently was a great primer for the playoffs.
“He’s one of the best hitters in the league,” Boone said. “You score over 100 runs, hit over 40 homers, close to 100 RBIs, sitting at the top of the lineup, it was a great offensive season. And obviously we needed it. And there were times this year where we were really offensively challenged to score some runs. There's that two-month stretch where it was rough. And Benny went through his stretch too.
“That's the thing you love to see. For as great a year as he had, he had a stretch there for a month where it was a grind and a struggle, but he kind of got himself out of it. Really finished the last month with a flurry.”
And when the Yankees needed him again Tuesday night, Rice stepped up. The first-inning double put an immediate dent in Tolle. The solo homer in the fifth not only tacked on another big run for Schlittler but energized the crowd.
“Hundred percent,” Schlittler said. “He’s been amazing all season. And obviously another local [Massachusetts] guy, so it’s a great feeling to see him go out there and dominate.”
With Judge out indefinitely, part of that feeling is relief. Rice is a streaky hitter who is especially dangerous when he gets on a heater, and the burner was lit Tuesday night.
“He's just a superstar,” Anthony Volpe said. “It's obvious with the way the year's went with injuries and everything. I think he's carried us a lot. His preparation and how he goes about his work and everything, just so consistent. It's really kind of cool.”
About that preparation: Rice provided a postgame glimpse into his daily routine when asked for the secret to his consistency. For him, long before the scouting reports and batting practice, that’s starting off with the same meal.
“Scrambled eggs and avocado toast,” he said.
The Yankees hope that’s the breakfast of champions. And if Rice keeps serving up performances like Tuesday, that could happen. Was it his best game ever?
“Yeah, I would say so, I guess,” said Rice, who had a three-homer, seven-RBI game against the Red Sox two years ago. “I don’t know. It’s subjective. But to do that in a playoff game, I would say it’s definitely up there.”
Right next to Judge, for sure.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
