5 takeaways from Yanks' first home series win

This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

NEW YORK -- When Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Paul Goldschmidt spoke to their Yankees teammates during the season’s opening road trip about maintaining focus and intensity, Saturday’s game against the Marlins was exactly what they had in mind.

Down by four runs early on a raw, rainy night in the Bronx, the Yankees could have let the game get away. Too often last year, they did. The veterans’ message was simple: April wins count as much as those in September, especially for a club hoping to avoid another frantic late-season scramble.

“We believe in each other,” Cody Bellinger said after the Bombers rallied to beat Miami. “We think that we’re a really good team. The depth is good and we’ve got a lot of really good players on this team. We’ve got to keep on rolling.”

It won’t work like that every time; Sunday’s loss is evidence of that. But with the first home series in the books, here’s what the Yankees are talking about:

Benny’s barrels

The Yankees believed Ben Rice was extraordinarily unlucky last season, when his hard-hit percentage (56.1) and average exit velocity (93.3) did not correlate with the statistics on the back of his baseball card. They expected that would balance out with more opportunities, and so far, that is proving true.

Rice scorched the ball all spring and has carried that into the regular season, reaching base safely in his first eight games, including a three-run homer he lined into the second deck in right field during the first inning on Sunday.

“Benny can really hit,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I think he’s a middle-of-the-order hitter and is going to be for a long time. He keeps getting better, too. He’s fun to watch and he’s got a lot of confidence -- rightfully so.”

G on the move

Stanton took it as a challenge. The Marlins neglected to hold him on first base in the seventh inning on Saturday, seeing him as no threat to run. So he did, sliding safely into second base with his first regular-season stolen base since 2020.

“I’m going to take what they give me, and understand where I’m at each day,” Stanton said.

Stanton won’t be confused with José Caballero anytime soon, but he also ran relatively well during the series in Seattle, an encouraging sign considering his history of lower-half injuries.

“I’m out there playing, so we’re good,” Stanton said.

Hot corner

When Ryan McMahon grounded a two-run single through the infield on Opening Night in San Francisco, it seemed like an early sign that his spring stance changes might pay off. Since then, the results have been sparse.

Boone acknowledged the third baseman’s swing has looked tentative at times. Amed Rosario’s role is mostly to play against left-handed pitching, but he could see more time if McMahon’s struggles continue.

“He’s been a little bit in-between, not wanting to chase or make a bad decision,” Boone said. “Which is great, but you’ve also got to go up there and let it rip a little bit. I just want him to go out there and get after it, because he’s really talented and he’s got pop.”

Squeeze play

Luis Gil is set to rejoin the rotation on Friday against the Rays, bringing the Yanks’ rotation back to five members. Carlos Rodón is continuing to work through right hamstring soreness as he aims for a late April return, and when that occurs, someone will be the odd man out.

Could that be Ryan Weathers? The left-hander showed big velocity but shaky spring results, and he has twice failed to complete five innings. Weathers needed 88 pitches to record 11 outs against Miami. He said he needs to trust his defense more.

“I’m trying to punch guys out instead of pitching to contact,” Weathers said.

To the grind

Camilo Doval has flashed electric stuff, including striking out the side on 12 pitches in a March 27 appearance against the Giants, but the former closer remains a work in progress -- evidenced by his most recent outings against Seattle and Miami, when he coughed up two runs apiece.

“It’s the next layer of command,” Boone said. “He’s come in there the last two times against some really tough left-handed hitters, so execution in those spots is really important. Some good left-handed hitters have hit some balls sharply, where some balls have landed in the center of the plate.”

The Yanks are also mindful of a tax on current closer David Bednar, who has thrown 77 pitches over his last two appearances and was unavailable on Sunday. Boone learned quickly last season that Bednar always wants the ball, but a few cleaner innings would ease concerns about his workload.

“Ultimately, it’s pretty black and white -- it’s either, do you do the job or not?” Bednar said. “It’s all about finding a way.”