Yankees manager Aaron Boone drops hilarious one-word response when asked about Ben Rice leading-off

The New York Yankees have been crushing the baseball early so far this season, finding themselves with a 3-2 record but are also leading Major League Baseball with 19 home runs in those 5 games. The Bronx Bombers have more than lived up to their nickname early this year and have one of the deepest lineups in the game.

Although much has been made about the team's use of the polarizing torpedo bats, the New York Yankees have been taking good at-bats nearly every time they come to the plate. One of the players that has been hot to start the 2025 campaign so far has been Ben Rice.

The 26-year-old has been a monster at the dish so far, posting an impressive .385 batting average with a pair of home runs and a 1.352 OPS. Thanks to his hot stretch at the plate, Aaron Boone named Ben Rice as the team's lead-off batter on Thursday when they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.

When asked about why Boone opted to go with Ben Rice as opposed to Paul Goldschmidt or Austin Wells (the only other lead-off batters this season) the New York manager kept it simple, yet light and humorous. It only took one word for Aaron Boone explain why he chose Rice to be the team's lead-off batter on Thursday night.

"Rakes" - Aaron Boone said as to why he chose Rice.

Ben Rice showcased some solid power in his first season with the New York Yankees in 2024. Even though Rice only appeared in 50 games for the Yankees last season, he did manage to launch 7 home runs, albeit with a .171 batting average. If he has evolved as an overall hitter, he could be in store for a massive sophmore season with the club.

Manager Aaron Boone helped make Yankees history earlier this season with his lead-off choices

It will be interesting to see how Ben Rice performs in the lead-off spot for New York on Thursday night, however, Aaron Boone has been willing to experiment with the top spot already this season. On Opening Day, Bonne decided to go with catcher Austin Wells as the team's lead-off hitter, making history in the process.

Over the rich history of the New York Yankees, there has never been a catcher hit out of the lead-off spot. Wells' start etched his name in club history, however he more than proved his worth on Opening Day, hitting a lead-off home run to kick off the 2025 season.