
The New York Yankees are about to be put in a tough position when Giancarlo Stanton returns. They will essentially have to find a way to force Ben Rice into the lineup.
Rice has been the team’s primary designated hitter and is third on the team in home runs. He is having a breakout year with a .859 OPS. However, when Stanton returns, Rice will no longer be able to play as a DH. He can play first base and catcher, but Goldschmidt and Austin Wells hold claim to those positions.
The Yankees are going to have to get creative, and a new video of Goldschmidt taking ground balls at second base has opened up some new possibilities. While Goldschmidt could just be messing around and having fun, if he is capable of playing the position, it would solve plenty of problems for the Yankees.
They would get their upgrade from DJ LeMahieu in terms of offensive production, and keep Rice in the lineup every day at first base. Not to mention it would ensure a spot for Stanton, Goldschmidt and Rice every day. However, the likelihood of this is next to none.
In 15 seasons, Goldschmidt has never played anything except first base in the field. It would make much more sense if Rice were to try and play second base.
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Right now, the Yankees are still waiting on Stanton’s return. However, there is no escaping the logjam it will cause at designated hitter and first base. LeMahieu is one of the Yankees’ weak links offensively, and if they are adding upgrades at the deadline, it will likely be to get more production from second base, one way or another. However, if Goldschmidt becomes an in-house option, it could solve all of their problems.
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