TAMPA, Fla. — Although Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice ’s left elbow was still swollen and sore on Easter Sunday morning from his Saturday hit by pitch, the left-handed-hitting rising star wasn’t ready to return to the lineup for a series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays.

With the New York Yankees hosting the Tampa Bay Rays at their spring training field — the Rays’ regular-season home in 2025 — the focus wasn’t just on the game itself. Injuries are already the talk of their season,

Ben Rice’s elbow injury update leaves his Cleveland series status in doubt. Discover how the Yankees are adjusting their lineup and what’s next for the rookie.