In a surprising twist during the AL Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone opted to start young first baseman Ben Rice over veteran Paul Goldschmidt in Game 3 on Thursday. This came just a day after Boone had insisted that Goldschmidt would handle every left-handed matchup the team faced. Facing rookie southpaw Connelly Early, Rice slotted into the lineup, signaling perhaps a deeper shift in the Yankees' postseason strategy.
Goldschmidt, who inked a one-year, $12.5 million deal with the Yankees last December, arrived as a stabilizing force at first base. At 37, the seven-time All-Star brought pedigree from his St. Louis days, where he'd once been the NL MVP. Yet his 2025 season in pinstripes has been uneven—a .763 OPS that's solid but lacks the pop New York craved. Indeed, he's flashed against lefties, going 2-for-4 in a recent loss, but the overall impact hasn't justified clinging to the past. Moreover, whispers from insiders like Jim Bowden suggest the Yankees are already eyeing a clean break, letting Goldschmidt walk to hand the reins fully to Rice.
Ben Rice, the 26-year-old breakout sensation from Cohasset, Massachusetts, has been the real story this year. His emergence—hitting well enough to earn All-Star consideration—has turned heads, especially in a lineup crowded with sluggers like Giancarlo Stanton. Rice's hot road trip earlier in the season even overshadowed Goldschmidt's own revival against right-handers. Now, with the Yankees down 1-1 in the series after Garrett Crochet's dominant outing, Boone's decision feels like a calculated risk. Rice's youth and upside against lefties could be the spark needed to advance. However, it's not without tension; Goldschmidt has voiced willingness to mentor the kid, positioning himself as a stopgap rather than a fixture.
The move underscores the Yankees' balancing act between experience and potential. As the series hangs in the balance, one can't help but wonder if this pivot to Rice marks the end of Goldschmidt's Bronx chapter—or just a postseason hunch that might pay off big.