There's A Ben Rice #22 Craze & I'm All About It

Let’s just call it what it is: Ben Rice is that dude. 

The Yankees gave him a shot, and he didn’t blink — he sprinted through the door like he was late for batting practice. The kid came in hot, made his presence felt, and is now slapping the league around with that thunder bat of his.

Meanwhile, over in Queens… Juan Soto is pouting in his private family suite because Pete Alonso isn’t Aaron Judge. Boo-freakin’-hoo. WHAT. A. DICK. What a terrible teammate.

Oh, and about that jersey number? Rice is rocking #22 for the Yankees. Soto’s wearing #22 for the Mets and did for the Yanks. The number itself means nothing to the process — but it’s a beautifully petty cherry on top. Because Rice is what #22 looks like when it actually gives a damn.

Yankee fans are already howling. One fan said, “#22 has a 1.081 OPS in front of Judge just like last year.” Except this time, it’s Ben Rice doing the damage, not Mr. One-Year-Rental himself. Rice didn’t ask for the spotlight — he just took it.

In 17 games to start the 2025 season, Rice is hitting .317 with a .414 OBP, five RBIs, two stolen bases, and has even taken a turn as the DH while Giancarlo Stanton nurses his annual “vintage wine body” injury. We’re already out here trying to make room for Ben Rice on the field because his bat needs to stay. This isn’t about potential anymore. This is about production.

Thursday, April 17 — Rice puts on a clinic in a 6-3 Yankees win over the Rays: 4-for-5, a double, three singles, two RBIs. He’s slashing .273/.385/.618 in 65 plate appearances with 5 homers, 7 RBIs, 12 runs, 10 walks, and two bags swiped. The man’s not just surviving. He’s thriving.

Now let’s check in on Soto, the ex-Yankee turned Mets mascot:
Through 19 games? A .221 batting average, three home runs, seven RBIs, one stolen base, and a .361 OBP. And a family suite. That’s about it. He’s a one-tool player and it’s being exposed like a fraud on Broadway. Juan Soto left the Bronx for cash and clout, and now he’s realizing life without Judge is a cold, lonely place. He wants to play with Aaron Judge again. What a bitch.

The Yankees? They’ve turned the page. New season. New squad. New #22.

Ben Rice is here. Juan Soto is gone. And Yankee fans have never been happier to see a so-called superstar whine his way across town while a grinder like Rice builds a legacy in pinstripes — one scorching swing at a time.

#Ben22 

#SotoWho

#CashSoto

#NoSuitesOnlySwings