The New York Yankees are back in the MLB postseason, aiming to return to the World Series for a second straight year. To achieve this, they must first get past their longtime rivals, the Boston Red Sox, in a best-of-three Wild Card series at Yankee Stadium.
In Game 1, scheduled for Tuesday, the Red Sox will hand the ball to their ace, Garrett Crochet. The Cy Young candidate faces a formidable challenge against a deep Yankees lineup filled with home run threats. One such threat is Ben Rice, who blasted 26 home runs during the regular season and went on an absolute tear in September, posting a remarkable .932 OPS.
However, Rice may not be a shoe-in to start Game 1. Crochet, a left-handed pitcher, has been particularly tough on left-handed hitters all season, holding them to a .166 batting average with just three home runs allowed over 145 at-bats. Rice himself has struggled against lefties, hitting only .208 against them, although he maintains a respectable .752 OPS in those matchups.
While Rice’s sample size against Crochet is limited, he is just 1-for-8 with a double in nine plate appearances against the Boston ace. Given these splits, Yankees manager Aaron Boone will base his Game 1 lineup accordingly. Austin Wells will start at catcher, with Paul Goldschmidt at first base. With Giancarlo Stanton serving as the designated hitter, Rice will begin the series on the bench.
That said, it’s unlikely Rice will remain on the sidelines for long. He is expected to be the first pinch-hitting option off the bench once Crochet exits the game.
The Red Sox have yet to announce their starter beyond Tuesday. It appears the choice will be between right-handers Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello. Should the series extend to Games 2 and 3, both righties, expect Rice to be in the starting lineup for those contests.
Game 1 between the Yankees and Red Sox will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday night in the Bronx. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
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