Ben Rice Sends Quiet Wake-Up Call After Yankees’ Embarrassing Sweep by Marlins
August 4, 2025 — Allen Park, NY
The New York Yankees hit a new low over the weekend, getting swept by the Miami Marlins in a three-game series. Sunday’s 7–3 loss capped off a stretch that exposed glaring issues on both offense and defense. While the Marlins are no pushover team—sitting around the .500 mark—the Yankees entered the series as clear favorites, even with Aaron Judge sidelined due to an elbow injury.
In Judge’s absence, rookie first baseman Ben Rice has shouldered an outsized role. After Sunday’s disappointing defeat, Rice didn’t sound the alarm—but he nudged it.
“I wouldn’t say there’s concern,” Rice said postgame. “But I do think a little sense of urgency would help us right now. We’ve got to focus on doing the little things right—putting everything together. That’s how we start winning again.”
Rice’s words may have been measured, but they were clear: the Yankees are slipping, and if they don’t tighten things up soon, they risk spiraling further in the AL East standings. Once the division leaders, the Yankees have now fallen to third place.
While Rice refrained from directly accusing the team of complacency, he acknowledged that time is running out to pull things together.
“I wouldn’t say we’re lacking urgency,” he clarified. “But as the season gets deeper, and the playoff race heats up, we’ve got to get it going. Sooner rather than later.”
The sweep highlighted what’s become a troubling trend: inconsistency in both pitching and hitting. July was defined by shaky pitching, and in early August, the offense has cooled off—resulting in a failure to synchronize both sides of the game.
The low point came Saturday, when the Yankees managed just two hits and failed to score a single run—a stunning stat for a team that had recently been tied for the MLB lead in total runs scored. That outing, against a Marlins club far from elite, marked one of the most frustrating performances of the season.
Manager Aaron Boone echoed the concern, urging his players to regroup and sharpen up before a critical stretch. The Yankees are now gearing up for a three-game series against the Texas Rangers, followed by another challenging matchup against the division-leading Houston Astros.
With postseason implications looming larger each week, the Yankees don’t have time to dwell on the sweep. Rice’s quiet message serves as a warning: if this team wants to contend in October, they’ll need to wake up now—before it’s too late.
