The stage is set for a high-stakes showdown at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night, as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox clash in a do-or-die Game 3 of their AL Wild Card series. With a trip to the ALDS on the line, the fierce AL East rivals are leaving nothing to chance. Ahead of the first pitch, the Yankees unveiled their lineup, and manager Aaron Boone made a stunning decision that shook up expectations and sparked intense buzz among fans and analysts alike.
Going into the series, Boone had made it clear: veteran Paul Goldschmidt was his go-to first baseman against left-handed pitchers, like Boston’s Game 3 starter Connelly Early. This strategy seemed set in stone after Game 1, when the Yankees faced Boston’s ace southpaw Garrett Crochet. But in a shocking twist, Boone flipped the script for Game 3, opting to start rookie Ben Rice at first base instead of the defensively stellar Goldschmidt. When pressed for an explanation, Boone’s response was as concise as it was revealing.
“Ben Rice,” Boone said bluntly, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, signaling that the rookie’s red-hot bat was simply too electric to leave on the bench in a must-win game.
Rice’s meteoric rise in this series has been nothing short of spectacular. In his postseason debut during Game 2, the 26-year-old made history by crushing a home run on the very first pitch he saw—the first pitch of his playoff career. Rice didn’t stop there, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs, proving he could deliver under the brightest lights. His performance was a thunderbolt, and Boone clearly couldn’t ignore the rookie’s momentum heading into the elimination game.
While Goldschmidt’s glove at first base is a known commodity, and his .981 OPS against lefties in 2025 (over 149 at-bats) dwarfs Rice’s .752 (106 at-bats), Boone’s decision to ride the hot hand speaks volumes about his trust in Rice’s potential to swing the game. In a contest where every at-bat could be the difference between advancing and going home, the Yankees are banking on Rice’s newfound swagger to keep their postseason dreams alive.
The lineup shake-up doesn’t end with Rice. Jazz Chisholm Jr., who was also absent from the starting lineup in Game 1 against Crochet, returns to man second base against Early. Additionally, Amed Rosario steps in at third base, replacing Ryan McMahon, adding another layer of intrigue to Boone’s bold strategy.
Here’s the Yankees’ lineup for Game 3 against the Red Sox:
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Trent Grisham – CF
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Aaron Judge – RF
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Cody Bellinger – LF
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Giancarlo Stanton – DH
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Ben Rice – 1B
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Amed Rosario – 3B
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Jazz Chisholm Jr. – 2B
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Anthony Volpe – SS
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Austin Wells – C
As the Yankees and Red Sox prepare to battle it out in this winner-takes-all clash, all eyes will be on Boone’s gamble. Will Rice’s scorching bat and the revamped lineup deliver a victory, or will Boston capitalize on New York’s bold pivot? One thing is certain: Thursday night at Yankee Stadium promises to be an electrifying chapter in this storied rivalry.