Ben Rice’s unexpected magic can’t fix all of the Yankees’ serious issues

Young Ben Rice is a good story whether it’s a one-day story or it continues its unpredictable magic. The Yankees also discovered the Boston kid and Dartmouth alum, the first miracle. How many more are coming?

Yankees scouts worked overtime, staffing pickup games and practices in Northborough, Duxbury, Needham, Scituate and other hub suburbs, where Rice and the aspiring Ivy League hopefuls played while the academic-first conference began its two-year COVID break. But went away. The Yankees liked what they saw so they turned him into a 12th-round draft flyer who looks great today.

Rice isn’t a big plus just because he could be the third, essential threat in a two-superstar Yankees lineup or because he answered himself a common question by becoming the first Yankees rookie to hit a three-homer game on Saturday. , He brings energy and youthful enthusiasm to a very experienced clubhouse that has been missing.

Rice’s big game against the team he grew up against — in fact, he was a Yankees fan growing up in Cohasset, Mass. — represented a beautiful turn from a disappointing trend. But manager Aaron Boone also wasn’t necessarily buying the carryover effect.

“I think the focus has shifted to today,” Boone said honestly, before the Yankees opened their season on national TV Sunday night by defeating the rival Red Sox and recording their first winning streak in nearly a month. There was hope to avert the recent recession.

Rice, who is mature beyond his 25 years, sees it that way.

“Yesterday was obviously thrilling. I’ll never forget it. But right back to that. The best thing about baseball is there’s a game the next day,” Rice told The Post.

Rice is a sweet story, but the Yankees still have to prove they can play the same way they did in the first 70 spectacular games. Three areas of concern remain.

1. rotation

“I think we have the guys,” Boone said, expressing confidence. But the Yankees were testing the starting market, even when things were going great.

The rotation, the best in baseball’s first 70 games, posted an MLB-worst 7.37 ERA (and an MLB-worst full-staff 6.36 ERA overall) on their 5-14 slide. If anything, one would think that the return of reigning Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole would make them better. But everyone else retreated.

Marcus Stroman’s ERA has increased from 2.60 to 3.58. Carlos Rodon has seen his ERA rise from 2.93 to 4.45. And Sunday night starter Luis Gil has seen the biggest jump of all. He had gone from 1.82 to 3.41 entering the game.

Boon praised the talent, which is great, but acknowledged that Gill is “a work in progress.”

The way it’s going, it’s like a comeback.

2. Bullpen

The Yankees’ bullpen, which has been a revolving door at times, is being hit by a lack of enough “swing and miss” guys, and the numbers suggest there may be something to it. While their overall ERA of 3.63 ranks them eighth out of 30 teams, they are 18th with 8.62 strikeouts per nine innings.

Setup man Luke Weaver has generally been a revelation. But Friday’s loss to the Red Sox, where closer (and surprise All-Star selection) Clay Holmes gave up a game-tying homer shortly before the win and Tommy Kahnle surrendered the game-winning homer after an inning, This explains why the Yankees are working hard to strengthen their bullpen.

Fortunately, even in an overall deep seller’s market, there should be some good relievers. Even if they can’t get All-Star closers Tanner Scott or Mason Miller, several other bullpen pieces should hit the market.

3. Lineup

Boone may have solved the leadoff issue by putting Rice’s meteor of the moment in that spot, but the order still looks pretty top heavy, followed by two MVP candidates — Juan Soto and the great Aaron Judge — with an OPS of six. There are people. Below plus 100.

Based on early returns, Rice may actually be better suited to cleanup than leadoff, but Boone said he likes Alex Verdugo’s “presence” there, and expressed confidence in the ex-Red Sox player, saying he Suggested he just go through “two to three weeks”. Spread where he “struggled a little”.

They are missing Giancarlo Stanton at least as much as predicted. Boone praised some of Anthony Volpe’s recent at-bats, but he’s been looking like 2023 Volpe lately.

Gleyber Torres, who was out of the starting lineup due to a tight groin for the second consecutive game, has looked generally tight in his sophomore year. And two-time batting champion DJ LeMahieu hasn’t been a threat lately (.497 OPS). He continues playing, but wonders how much longer.

Boone could not dispute the struggles of the bottom two-thirds of the batting order. “Hopefully,” Boone said, “we’ll bring other people forward as well.”

The Yankees have acted as if they don’t need to consider infielders in the trade market, but from here on out, they have very few options. The new baby provided surprising and instant gratification – minute rice, if you will – but we’ll need to see more from many others to know if they’ve come out of their funk.