Ben Rice's Batting Average PLUNGED 67 Points, Then EXPLODED, and the Athletics Have Zero Answers

Alright, Seattle fam, you gotta hear about what's going down in MLB right now because it's wild. While our M's are grinding, the New York Yankees are absolutely on fire, riding a five-game winning streak and just cruising to an 8-2 victory on Friday. Seriously, they've outscored their opponents a ridiculous 36-6 over this stretch. But the real story? It's all about Ben Rice, the 27-year-old Yankees designated hitter, who just went from a major slump to an absolute monster at the plate, and the Oakland Athletics are just caught in the crossfire.

Ben Rice's Bat Is Pure Fire Right Now

Can you believe the turnaround this guy is having? Ben Rice’s batting average took a brutal 67-point nosedive during an 18-game funk in May. He was hitting a dismal .152, going 10-for-66, and his average dropped from a sweet .343 all the way down to .276. It felt like getting him out was a piece of cake for opposing pitchers. Then, out of nowhere, something clicked. Over his last three games, Rice is a scorching 9-for-14 with a homer, six RBIs, and six runs! That red-hot streak has shot his average back up to a respectable .303, and he just had his first four-hit game of the season, third of his career. On Friday, he smashed his 17th homer of the season, plus two doubles and a single. After the Yankees' 12-hit display, Rice said, "It's a lot of fun. It's super contagious. We have a lot of guys who feed off of one another. It's really fun to watch when the bats are going well." You can practically feel the energy radiating off this team. We also saw Paul Goldschmidt launch a three-run homer in the first inning on Friday, his sixth of the season, and Ryan McMahon went deep later in the game. It’s an offensive explosion, no doubt.

The Athletics Can't Catch a Break

On the flip side, the Oakland Athletics are having a brutal time. They've dropped the first four games of their six-game homestand, getting absolutely crushed by a 30-6 margin. On Friday, a throwing error by first baseman Nick Kurtz in the first inning basically gift-wrapped four runs for the Yankees, and the A's just couldn't dig themselves out of that hole. Manager Mark Kotsay summed it up perfectly, saying, "Getting down early is tough. We've been down obviously this homestand, we haven't played with the lead. Those are challenging games." He added, "When we had an opportunity to capitalize and get back into the game, we didn't get the hit. That's been the theme." Kurtz did manage a solo homer, and Zack Gelof had a run-scoring single, but it wasn't nearly enough. They're sending right-hander J.T. Ginn to the mound for Saturday's game. He's 2-3 with a 3.19 ERA but has lost his last two starts, including a heartbreaking no-hitter that was broken up in the ninth inning against the Angels. We'll see if he can turn things around. While those two teams are battling it out in California, our own Mariners just had a phenomenal fight, securing a 7-6 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at T-Mobile Park! That's the kind of grit we love to see. Every win matters, and seeing our M's grind it out keeps the Emerald City buzzing. Let's keep that momentum rolling!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.