Cody Bellinger heaps praise about Paul Goldschmidt’s backup as Yankees 1B pushes for playing time amid injuries

Paul Goldschmidt had to exit a recent Spring Training game with a sore back that he'd been dealing with for a few days. It's a bad sign for an aging player and for a team that's already been demolished by injuries in Spring Training.

Enter Ben Rice, a player who had to take plenty of reps at first base last year but never truly broke out after a pretty strong start. Now, Rice, Goldschmidt's backup, is mashing with a .974 OPS in 15 games.

Even Cody Bellinger, who could take some reps at first base in the absence of Goldschmidt, is loving what he's seeing from Rice. He said, via the New York Post:

“It’s fun to watch. Fun to watch him work, and it seems as if he has a really good idea of what he wants and what he wants to accomplish.”

While Bellinger was never in doubt about making the team and being a starter, he is also enjoying a red-hot spring as well. He's hitting almost .500 with an OPS nearing 1.500. He said:

“I like where I’m at. Just making day-by-day adjustments depending on how I feel and really like where my consistency is at. Just stay right there.”

With those two hitting well, the Yankees, who are without a glut of pitchers and Giancarlo Stanton to start the year, may be able to survive on offense a little better than previously anticipated.

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Yankees legend has bold claim about Cody Bellinger

Cody Bellinger, as the resident left-handed newcomer, will have the unenviable task of trying to replicate what Juan Soto did in 2024. Of course, the Yankees aren't asking him to, but he's going to be responsible for a bulk of the lefty production.

Cody Bellinger has lofty expectations (Imagn)

Fortunately, Yankees legend Tino Martinez thinks Bellinger is up for the task. He said, via Sporting News:

"Cody's got that good, beautiful, smooth swing. It's like (Jason) Giambi, although a little more upright. He's going to hit a lot of home runs in the Stadium, and obviously some on the road, too. I could see him at 40 this year."

Bellinger has passed 40 home runs before, but he's never played with the short porch in right field. He admitted that it's easy to get pull-happy in Yankee Stadium. It could lead to a power surge as Martinez anticipates.