TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — What started as a promising afternoon for Yankees rookie Ben Rice turned into a tense moment in the fourth inning of Saturday’s 10-8, 10-inning loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, after the leadoff hitter was drilled on the left elbow by an 88.2 mph slider from reliever Manuel Rodríguez.
The impact was enough to send a wave of concern through the Yankees dugout, especially given Rice’s recent emergence as a reliable bat at the top of the lineup. The 25-year-old initially shook it off, staying in the game to run the bases and eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly that pushed the Yankees’ lead to 6-1.
But once he returned to the dugout, the pain became more apparent, prompting a trip to St. Joseph’s Hospital for X-rays.
Thankfully for both Rice and the Yankees, the scans came back negative — no fracture, no structural damage. Just a nasty bruise and a whole lot of soreness.
“It’s definitely pretty sore,” Rice admitted in the clubhouse after the game. “But I didn’t lose any feeling in it. So, it’s just going to be day-to-day, I think. I was definitely worried about it when it first happened.”
Rice said the pitch seemed to catch both the bone of the joint and some surrounding muscle, which led to immediate discomfort and some swelling.
Despite that, he managed to keep his cool, displaying the kind of toughness and poise that’s earned him praise during his stint filling in for the injured Giancarlo Stanton.
“It seems like he’s doing better,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters postgame. “Good news obviously on the X-ray. It seemed like he was getting a little more feeling back as the last hours unfolded. He’s a tough kid.”
Saturday’s game wasn’t Rice’s first painful encounter at the plate. Earlier in the contest, he was also hit on the left foot by a breaking ball from Rays starter Shane Baz.
Between the foot and elbow, Rice took a beating — but stayed in the fight, a reflection of the gritty edge he’s brought to the lineup since getting the call.
In just 19 games this season, Rice has already made a strong impression. The left-handed hitter is batting .292 with three doubles, a triple, five home runs, and nine RBIs. His bat has brought some much-needed spark to the Yankees offense, especially with several key players sidelined.
Rice’s recent production, coupled with his ability to grind through adversity, is likely to keep him in the lineup — assuming the soreness doesn’t worsen overnight.
The Yankees are expected to monitor him closely over the next few days, but as of now, Rice doesn’t anticipate needing any further scans or tests.
For a team that’s already navigating early-season injuries, the negative X-ray is a welcome sigh of relief.
As for Rice, he’s just hoping to get back to doing what he does best — getting on base, causing havoc, and helping the Yankees stay competitive in a crowded AL East.
“I’ll just ice it up, rest it a bit, and see how it feels tomorrow,” he said. “It could’ve been worse — I’m lucky it wasn’t.”
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