Yankees' Ben Rice Suffers Neck Injury in Sleeping Incident

Spring training usually brings minor bumps and bruises. For New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, it brought something different. Rice hasn't been hitting recently because he slept wrong.

New York Post beat writer Greg Joyce reported the unusual injury on social media.

"Ben Rice slept on his neck wrong the other night so he has not been hitting the last few days. But he is hoping to start swinging again soon, possibly as early as today."

Ben Rice slept on his neck wrong the other night so he has not been hitting the last few days. But he is hoping to start swinging again soon, possibly as early as today.
— Greg Joyce (@GJoyce9) February 14, 2026

The injury kept Rice out of the cage for a few days, but there's no real concern about it affecting his preparation. It's the kind of freak thing that happens when you're not even trying.

The 26-year-old slugger could be back to taking swings by the end of the day, which means this becomes nothing more than a weird footnote in camp.

But that matters because Rice has a big role waiting for him. The Yankees brought back Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year deal, but Rice has already been told the first base job is his.

Manager Aaron Boone made that clear earlier this month, and Goldschmidt's contract details show he's here as a platoon bat and veteran presence, not a starter.

Why Ben Rice Matters for 2026

Oct 5, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) hits a two-RBI double in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

For‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ the Yankees, it's essential that Rice makes a big leap this year. In 2025, he batted .255 with 26 home runs and an .836 OPS while shifting between first base, designated hitter, and catcher. On the surface, those stats seem pretty good, but his underlying figures indicate that he was ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌unlucky.

Rice ranked in the 97th percentile for hard-hit rate and 95th percentile for average exit velocity. His expected batting average was .283, nearly 30 points higher than his actual mark. If his results catch up to his contact quality, the Yankees could have something special.

The real challenge is left-handed pitching. Rice hit just .208 against lefties last season with a 27.7% strikeout rate. That's a problem when you're trying to be an everyday player. Boone has said he expects Rice to face lefties "a lot" this year, which means he needs to show improvement or the platoon conversations will start again.

If Rice makes that adjustment and his batted-ball luck evens out, analysts believe he could hit 30 homers and drive in 100 runs. The Yankees desperately need that kind of production after losing Juan Soto to the Mets.

A stiff neck from sleeping wrong won't change any of that. Rice will be fine, and the Yankees still have weeks to get him ready for what could be the most important season of his career.

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