SAN DIEGO – Nearly every time the Yankees’ order has rolled around since their arrival, Ben Rice has been busy covering the 90 feet between home plate and first base, reminding at least one observer of another left-handed hitter whose excellence earned statues in this town.
“I told him, he’s doing his Tony Gwynn imitation,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the club’s 5-1 victory over the Padres on Saturday at Petco Park. “Watching him slash it all over the field, man, he keeps hitting it off the barrel – line to line, it feels like.”
San Diego pitchers haven’t been able to solve Rice, who launched his team-leading 36th home run as part of a 3-for-4 performance in Friday’s 3-2, 10-inning loss, then reached base in all five plate appearances as the Yankees chased Robbie Ray early Saturday.
Rice banged out three singles while working two walks, helping the Yankees to their 81st victory – thus ensuring that, for a 34th consecutive year, they will finish with at least a .500 record. Of course, this is a team with much higher aspirations than just breaking even, and Rice is a big part of that.
“It’s been solid overall,” Rice said. “I have some that really just found some holes for me through the infield, some other solid swings. We’ve just got to keep going.”
Throughout his recent surge, Rice has recorded multiple hits in six of his past nine games, batting .395 (15-for-38) over that span. He has also reached base multiple times in 12 of his past 16 games.
“He seems locked in,” Cody Bellinger said. “He’s just so talented. Mechanically, he’s good. He’s got a great approach. He knows what he wants to do every at-bat, and right now it’s clicking, for sure.”
Rice has been leaned upon more heavily than expected to carry the Yankees’ offense this season, with envisioned lineup cogs like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton largely absent.
“We’re all as eager to have him back now as we were right when he went out,” Rice said. “I feel overall everyone’s done a good job of staying within themselves, trying to focus on what they do well. And of course, the pitching has been outstanding for such a long time now.”
Carlos Rodón held San Diego to a solo Manny Machado homer over five innings. The Yanks made it a lighter lift for Rodón by posting heavy traffic against Ray, who struggled to command the strike zone and was charged with five runs. Ray recorded just seven outs.
In a four-run second inning, Paul Goldschmidt worked the last of three consecutive walks to force in a run, and Bellinger followed with a two-run single. George Lombard Jr. added a third-inning sacrifice fly.
“It lets me go attack the zone – just go out there, get outs and get as many as I can,” Rodón said.
Rodón permitted two hits, walking three and striking out seven in an 89-pitch outing (56 strikes). It was Rodón’s fourth start since coming off the injured list following a recurrence of left elbow inflammation.
“There’s some things I’d like to refine, to be more crisp in the zone and get ahead,” Rodón said. “But we won, and that’s what matters.”
Saturday also marked the continuation of a pleasant homecoming for rookie Spencer Jones, a local product who grew up watching games from the seats of Petco Park and once won a home run derby on the diamond as a star at La Costa Canyon High School.
Playing in front of friends and family, Jones delivered a go-ahead single off Mason Miller in the 10th inning Friday, then added hits in his first two at-bats against Ray.
“He keeps looking like a matured big leaguer out there, doing his thing,” Rice said. “He really slows it down well.”
With Trent Grisham landing on the injured list Saturday, Boone said he is expecting Jones to take over as the club’s starting center fielder. So far, Jones seems to be answering the call.
“Obviously, I’m super happy with the Yankees and being here with this organization,” Jones said. “But San Diego is where I grew up and my hometown, so it was really cool.”