Yankees' Ben Rice Hyped as 'One of the Best' By Aaron Judge After 41st HR of 2026 MLB Season

New York Yankees superstar outfielder heaped praise on first baseman Ben Rice after he slugged his 40th and 41st home runs of the season on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters after Rice's dominant performance in the Yanks' 9-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, Judge said, "One thing I always tell guys, the difference between minor leaguers and big leaguers is the consistency. He's one of the best. I can look up at the clock and I know exactly where he's going to be in the cage. You know what he's doing in the training room, the weight room. It's just every single day, man. This guy's a machine."

Judge missed a large portion of this season with a fractured rib, and he went back on the injured list last week due to a calf strain.

While Judge has long been the centerpiece of the Yankees' lineup, Rice has taken up that mantle for much of the 2026 campaign.

Playing in only his second full MLB season, the 27-year-old Rice owns new career highs across the board, slashing .263/.362/.537 with 41 homers, 97 RBI and 103 runs scored.

The power-hitting lefty leads the Yankees in home runs, RBI, runs, walks, on-base percentage and slugging percentage among qualified players.

Despite falling short of the American League East crown due to the strong play of the Rays this season, the Yankees are still considered one of the teams to beat in the AL come playoff time.

With Judge's status for the postseason up in the air, it could largely be up to Rice to lead the way offensively, at least in the early going of the playoffs.

Potentially not having a player of Judge's caliber would sink most teams, but Rice ensures that the Yankees still have a dangerous lineup to go along with one of the best starting rotations in baseball.