Ben Rice didn’t last long in the 2026 Home Run Derby. Seven home runs in the first round, lowest of any hitter in any round. Eliminated. Done. But if you think the Yankees first baseman was crushed about it, you’d be wrong.
Rice had a pretty good reason to be happy anyway. His dad was the one throwing pitches to him.
“Even when I just stepped foot out there and just looked at my dad and we just smiled at each other, and we’re like, ‘Let’s go, let’s take some swings.’ So it was super cool,” Rice told reporters afterward, via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Actually, Rice used a stronger word than cool. He said it was “sick.” Same energy.
It wasn’t just a derby. It was a family thing.
Rice’s season has been legit. He came into the All-Star break with 29 homers and 68 RBIs, slashing an OPS of .971. That’s already more home runs than he hit all of last year (26). And he’s only in his third season in the bigs. On pace for maybe 45 dingers? Yeah, that’s happening.
The Yankees needed someone to step up with Aaron Judge out with a rib injury, and Rice has done exactly that. He’s kept the lineup from going cold. The derby was just a bonus, a chance to do something special with his old man.
For a kid who wasn’t even supposed to be the Yankees’ first baseman at the start of last season, this is a pretty big deal. Rice wasn’t a top prospect that everyone expected to see in a Home Run Derby. He worked his way here. And he got to share it with his dad, who was standing in the pitcher’s circle feeding him batting practice fastballs.
Seven homers isn’t great. But Rice didn’t seem to care much about the number. He was just happy to be there, swinging.
And honestly, he might be back. He’s one of the best power hitters in the American League right now. The derby field will probably see him again. Maybe he’ll hit more than seven next time. Maybe his dad will be there again too.
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