The New York Yankees walked into Fenway Park this weekend as one of the better teams in the American League. At 48-34, they had built a cushion in the standings despite a roster that has been shorthanded for weeks. The trip to Boston was supposed to be manageable.
It has been anything but.
Three straight losses to the struggling Red Sox have changed the tone of the weekend entirely. Saturday’s 4-1 defeat was more of the same. Quiet bats, a shaky start from Gerrit Cole, and another lefty making the Yankees look uncomfortable at the plate.
After the game, manager Aaron Boone did not sugarcoat what he saw.
Boone Addresses the Rice Slump
Ben Rice has been one of the Yankees’ best stories this season. The slugging first baseman carried New York’s offense for months, entering Saturday hitting .276 with an OPS pushing .940. But the past six games he has not looked like the player who built those numbers.
Rice went 0-for-4 Saturday and is now 2-for-23 over his last six games. Boone was asked about it directly after the loss.
“No doubt he’s grinding a little bit right now,” Boone said. “But that’s part of it, man. Even the guys that are going to the All-Star game and in MVP conversations, there’s going to be weeks where it’s not easy, where you go through it a little bit. He’ll be fine. He’ll get through that.”
It was a measured response from a manager who understands how every slump gets amplified when the team around the player is struggling too. Boone is not panicking. He is putting it in context.
The Lefty Problem Is Real
The Yankees entered this season as one of the better teams in baseball against left-handed pitching. They started 18-6 against lefty starters. That number feels like a long time ago.
Three straight Red Sox southpaws have dismantled them this series. Connelly Early went six innings and gave up two runs. Payton Tolle was even better, retiring the first 15 batters he faced. Bennett did not allow a hit until Max Schuemann connected for a solo shot in the fifth, the only run New York managed all afternoon.
Boone acknowledged the pattern against lefties simply.
“We just got to do a better job,” he said.
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 27: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees exits the game in the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on June 27, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)
What Comes Next for the Yankees
Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton remain on the injured list. The lineup has managed without them for stretches this season, but this weekend exposed how thin the margin for error becomes when the whole offense goes cold simultaneously.
Some relief is coming. Trent Grisham is expected back within the week after a hamstring strain, and Ryan McMahon should return when his 10-day IL stint ends.
Boone made clear how much Grisham’s presence reorganizes the defensive alignment and puts everyone else where they belong.
GettyThe New York Yankees provided a new update on Trent Grisham.
Final Word for the Yankees
Sunday night brings one more chance against the Red Sox, this time with righty Sonny Gray on the mound. Avoiding a sweep is the immediate priority.
Boone’s message after Saturday was honest without being alarming. Rice will come out of it. The cavalry is on its way back.
But the Yankees have to find a way to win first. The standings are forgiving enough right now. The calendar will not stay that way forever.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Yankees’ Aaron Boone Drops Honest Ben Rice Message After Red Sox Game appeared first on HEAVY.