As the Yankees prepared for south-pawed Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, Aaron Boone didn’t leave any wiggle room when asked about the righty-swinging Paul Goldschmidt starting over the lefty-swinging Ben Rice at first base.
“Goldie is going to play against every lefty we face,” Boone said Tuesday before Goldschmidt went 2-for-4 in a 3-1 loss. “That’s a pretty easy call.”
But with the Yankees facing another lefty, Connelly Early, in a do-or-die Game 3 and Rice, who can also catch, hitting a two-run homer in the Yankees’ 4-3 Game 2 win, Boone decided to sit Goldschmidt on Thursday.
When asked why he changed his stance, the skipper replied, “Ben Rice.”
“Obviously, I want Goldie in there, just because he’s been such a presence against lefties, but I also want [Austin] Wells behind the plate because he’s been so good back there, but also swinging the bat well,” continued Boone, who left the door open for Rice to start after Wednesday’s game. “And I didn’t necessarily want Benny’s first playoff catching game to be a winner-go-home, although maybe it gets to that point at some point. Hopefully, if we keep advancing, who knows how that shakes out?”
The 38-year-old Goldschmidt, a former MVP and a 15-year pro, posted a .981 OPS against left-handers during the regular season. However, he only had a .676 OPS against them after June 1.
Rice had a .752 OPS against lefties in his second big league season and a .723 OPS against them after June 1. He also finished the regular season on a tear, hitting .304 with a .943 OPS, 10 doubles, 10 homers and 30 RBI over his last 44 games.
Rice hit .255 with 26 home runs, 65 RBI and a .836 OPS overall. With a 133 wRC+, he was the Yankees’ second-best qualified batter behind Aaron Judge.
With those numbers and Rice’s Game 2 performance in mind, Boone thought starting the 26-year-old was “the right thing” to do because of “Benny’s presence and the threat to put one in the seats.”
“The threat that Ben is right now to change the game won out,” Boone added while noting that he feels Rice has improved against lefties.
Still, Boone said it was a tough call to sit Goldschmidt.
The skipper made the decision before leaving Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night, and he had a “great conversation” with Goldschmidt shortly thereafter. The veteran told Boone he’d be ready for a late at-bat or defensive substitution if needed, as he is still a better fielder than Rice at first.
“He’s as good as it gets,” Boone said of Goldschmidt, whose clubhouse presence earned rave reviews in his first season with the Yankees.
Boone went on to laud Goldschmidt’s humility and called him the “ultimate teammate.”
While Goldschmidt didn’t get the start against Early, another right-handed swinger, Amed Rosario, started at third over port-side swinger Ryan McMahon.
