Ben Rice Slumps in Second Half as Strikeouts Mount for New York Yankees

New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice is struggling through a severe second-half slump after a midseason surge, with his strikeout rate jumping to 30.8 percent in the second half of the 2026 Major League Baseball season.

The 27-year-old lefty slugger batted .279 with 29 home runs, 68 RBI, and a .971 OPS over his first 91 games to earn his first All-Star selection. However, his production plummeted after the All-Star break, hitting just .174 with five home runs and a .604 OPS across 32 games.

Statistical indicators highlight changes in Rice's mechanics and discipline at the plate. His overall 2026 strikeout rate reached 25.4 percent, up from 18.9 percent in 2025. Additionally, his average swing speed dropped from 73.4 mph to 72.7 mph, while his maximum exit velocity fell from over 113 mph to 110 mph.

Plate discipline metrics further document his recent struggles. Rice's out-of-zone swing percentage increased from 21.2 percent in 2025 to 25.7 percent in 2026, causing his overall contact rate to drop from 80.4 percent down to 75.4 percent. His whiff rate also fell to the 38th percentile after finishing in the 71st percentile last season.

The offensive dip coincides with injuries to key lineup protection in New York. Captain Aaron Judge went to the injured list on June 5 with a rib injury, while Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger also missed time. Since Judge's injury, Rice has posted a .208 batting average, 17 home runs, and a .745 OPS as the Yankees ranked 29th in team OPS after the All-Star break.

Despite the downturn, underlying metrics offer potential signs for recovery. Rice maintains expected statistics in the 91st percentile or higher for expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA), expected slugging percentage (xSLG), average exit velocity, and barrel percentage. Furthermore, his second-half batting average on balls in play (BABIP) stands at .222, well below the American League average of .287, while maintaining a 13.1 percent walk rate in August.