Yankees manager Aaron Boone’s Ben Rice ‘162’ claim will catch fans’ attention

Ahead of the second game of their first series versus the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone sat down with Foul Territory on Wednesday. During the interview, he discussed young starter Cam Schlittler’s usage of social media. He also empathized with Yankees fans’ frustrations with captain Aaron Judge’s struggles with the ABS system. The longtime Bronx Bombers skipper also discussed the growth of first baseman Ben Rice. According to Boone, he believes that Rice could handle playing all 162 games, as shared by Foul Territory on X, formerly Twitter.

Aaron Boone had this to say when asked if Ben Rice could handle playing 162 games. pic.twitter.com/T7Vvwc3Wkk

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) April 22, 2026

“150-155 is that sweet spot for games played, but he can handle 162,” Boone stated during his interview on Wednesday.

While the days of players playing every single day increasingly belong to the past, it’s promising that Boone thinks so highly of Rice. The 27-year-old made his big league debut in 2024, playing in 50 games when the Yankees dealt with several injuries. In 2025, the Massachusetts native broke out, taking the lion’s share of starts at first in addition to some time at catcher. This year, however, the focus is clear: first base is Rice’s to lose. Veteran Paul Goldschmidt came back for a second year in the Bronx, but with the expectation that he would play even less this year in deference to Rice.

So far, that decision has paid off well. Rice is likely the best hitter in New York’s lineup at this point. While veteran sluggers like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton begin to heat up, Rice has played well from the start of the season. His .319 average, to go along with eight home runs and 18 RBIs, has him among the league leaders in those categories. Can Rice continue what could be a star-making 2026? If so, New York’s second trip to the World Series in three years could be in the offing.

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