Ben Rice appears to have avoided the worst after Yankees injury scare

TAMPA — A day later, Ben Rice still appears to have avoided anything serious after getting drilled on his left elbow.

The Yankees’ DH admitted he was worried when he got nailed on his back elbow with a slider during Saturday’s game, but X-rays and a CT scan came back negative and by Sunday, he had seen some improvement, though he was out of the lineup against the Rays.

“Quite a bit better,” manager Aaron Boone said before the series finale at Steinbrenner Field. “I think he’s in pretty good spirits after being a little concerned [Saturday]. I think the X-ray put his mind at ease a little bit that there’s no cracks in there or anything.

“But he was still pretty stiff and sore [Saturday], still a little bit today. But when I talked to him, he was smiling and felt like he was quite a bit better.”

Rice still had some swelling in his elbow on Sunday morning, so he was expected to get treatment throughout the day to help reduce it.

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Boone said he “would think” that he will stay away from Rice during Sunday’s game, but wanted to see what kind of progress he made as the day unfolded.

It is likelier that he returns during the Yankees’ upcoming series in Cleveland that begins Monday.

“Hopefully [it will] be something that’s not too long,” Boone said.

Yankees DH Ben Rice reacts after getting hit by a pitch during a game against the Rays on April 19, 2025. AP

Yankees DH Ben Rice reacts after getting hit by a pitch
during a game against the Rays on April 19, 2025. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Rice said Saturday night he expected to be day-to-day.

Without Rice, the Yankees slid Aaron Judge into the DH spot and had the hot-hitting Trent Grisham leading off and starting in center field against right-hander Ryan Pepiot.