PHILADELPHIA, PA — Ben Rice fell short in his 2026 Home Run Derby debut Monday night, losing to Junior Caminero in the first round, but the Yankees slugger still shared an unforgettable moment with his father, Dan Rice.
For countless fathers who have spent evenings throwing batting practice in the backyard, there is one dream that always lingers in the back of their minds. On Monday night at the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, Dan Rice was able to live it.
Dan, who pitched at Brown University in the 1980s, took the mound to pitch to his son, Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, as the 27-year-old made his Home Run Derby debut during his first All-Star week.
It was a fitting moment for one of baseball’s biggest breakout stars.
From Red Sox Territory to the Bronx
In just his third Major League season, Rice has emerged as one of the game’s premier power hitters, putting together the kind of breakout campaign Yankees fans have not seen from a young slugger since Aaron Judge burst onto the scene.
Rice’s baseball story has always been a little different.
Growing up in Cohasset, Massachusetts, surrounded by Red Sox fans, Rice went against the grain early. Instead of rooting for his hometown club, he chose the Yankees and idolized Derek Jeter, a decision that now feels almost prophetic.
The Yankees selected Rice in the 12th round, 363rd overall, of the 2021 MLB Draft—a pick that now looks like one of the biggest steals of the class.
Rice made his Major League debut on June 18, 2024, after Anthony Rizzo landed on the injured list. Less than three weeks later, on July 6, he etched his name into Yankees history by becoming the first rookie in franchise history to hit three home runs in a game.
His seven-RBI performance led New York to a 14-4 victory over the rival Red Sox at Yankee Stadium while snapping the club’s four-game losing streak.
Derby Debut Caps a Breakout First Half
Just over a year after making history in the Bronx, Rice stepped onto the Derby stage in Philadelphia.
At the All-Star break, he was slashing .279/.372/.599 with a .971 OPS and 29 home runs. His 29 homers ranked third in Major League Baseball, trailing only Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Schwarber. Rice also entered the break second in the majors in slugging percentage behind Alvarez and third in OPS behind James Wood and Alvarez.
His first-round matchup proved to be every bit as difficult as expected.
Rice faced division rival Junior Caminero of the Rays, another young slugger enjoying a breakout season. Caminero defeated Rice in the opening round, bringing the Yankee first baseman’s Derby debut to an early end.
Jordan Walker ultimately claimed the title, defeating Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber, 12-11, in the final. The victory made Walker the first Cardinals player to win the Home Run Derby.
Rice may not have advanced, but the night was about more than the final home run total. It was about a father standing on the mound and throwing pitches to his son on one of baseball’s biggest stages. This was about a culmination of countless swings, backyard batting-practice sessions and a dream neither of them will soon forget.
For Rice, it was another milestone in a season already filled with them. For his father, it was the kind of moment every parent who has ever tossed batting practice to a child has imagined.
