NEW YORK — Ben Rice will start at designated hitter and bat second for the Yankees in Game 1 against Boston, while Giancarlo Stanton begins the postseason opener outside the starting lineup.
Paul Goldschmidt leads off at first base, followed by Rice and right fielder Heliot Ramos. Cody Bellinger bats fourth. NBC Sports reported the batting order Tuesday afternoon, and ESPN’s game feed lists the same starters.
The arrangement answers the immediate playing-time question raised by Stanton’s return to the Wild Card roster: Boone is keeping Rice in the starting nine against left-hander Payton Tolle while also starting Goldschmidt.
Stanton’s inclusion on the roster did not guarantee a start. His initial absence from the lineup also does not establish that he is unavailable to hit later. Those are separate decisions, and the batting order alone does not disclose any medical restriction or predetermined substitution plan.
For the opener, the Yankees retain a potential bench option while Rice gets the first opportunity at DH. The tactical question is when, if at all, Boone will turn to Stanton once Boston changes pitchers or a particular scoring opportunity develops.
That choice could require removing a hitter who started the game. It is a decision with consequences for subsequent innings, not simply a matter of adding another bat to the order.
New York opens the series without Aaron Judge, who was left off the roster while recovering from his calf injury. Read the Yankees’ roster decisions.
Follow the Game 1 live feed · All Red Sox–Yankees series coverage