Yankees' Ben Rice struggles amid offensive slump

First‑base prospect Ben Rice saw his production tumble over his last six games, going 2‑for‑23 with a .174 OPS as the New York Yankees fell 4‑1 to the Boston Red Sox. The slump follows a stretch where Rice posted a .276 average and a .940 OPS, hitting 22 home runs and driving in 53 runs through 77 games.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Rice’s rough patch is expected for a young power bat and urged patience, noting that the team awaits the return of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and other key hitters. Upcoming roster moves include the potential return of Trent Grisham and Ryan McMahon, while Rice’s recent struggles have intensified scrutiny of the Yankees’ offense at a critical point in the season.