About the Off-Season: First Thing’s First

About the Off-Season: First Thing’s First

By Tim Kabel

October 16, 2025

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As the 2025 postseason rolls on without the Yankees, I will continue taking stock. It is time to evaluate what went wrong this season and what needs to happen going into next season. I started by addressing the manager. I then considered players on the current roster who will be free agents or who have options. Now, I am looking at the Yankees position by position. Today I will turn to first base.

The primary starting first baseman for the 2025 New York Yankees was Paul Goldschmidt. He was very good defensively and he batted .274 with 10 home runs and 45 RB. The power numbers were somewhat underwhelming, but he was able to hit left-handed pitching very well. Goldschmidt was with the Yankees on a one-year contract. He turned 38 years old in September. I believe his Yankees’ career will be limited to that one season.

Ben Rice played first base, catcher, and designated hitter. He batted .253 with 24 home runs and 63 RBI. 2025 was Rice's first full year in the Major Leagues. He will be 27 years old in February and is likely to improve as a hitter next year and beyond. It was reported very often that he tended to hit into bad luck but was able to hit the ball very hard and squarely with great frequency. 

If the Yankees re-sign Cody Bellinger, having him play first base would certainly be an option. He is an excellent defender both in the outfield and at first base. The issue would then be what to do with Rice. There are reports that the Yankees are committed to playing Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones regularly in the outfield. Brian Cashman even stated that on other teams, Spencer Jones would have received a call-up to the Majors this season based on his performance at AAA. If those reports are true, and Bellinger returns, first base would be the only place for him to go. The Yankees definitely want (or at least they seem to) Rice’s bat in the lineup on a regular basis. Unless Giancarlo Stanton is removed from the roster, Rice would be relegated to the bench if the Yankees re-signed Bellinger.

Another option rumored to be on the table for the Yankees is Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, who will be posted this winter. He's a corner infielder who has played primarily third base but some first base as well. Because he is a left-handed power hitter, he would be a natural fit for the Yankees. The Yankees have tried in recent years to sign players from Japan but have not been successful. Perhaps this year will be different.

Another name to consider for the Yankees would be Pete Alonso, who will be available in free agency. Alonso will turn 31 on December 7th. He batted .272 with 38 home runs and 126 RBI in 2025. He is a right-handed hitter. The Yankees had the opportunity to sign him last winter but did not. I don't suspect things have changed very much since then. However, I could be wrong.  Again, if the Yankees brought in Alonso, they would have to figure out where to play Rice. 

The obvious problem here is that having Giancarlo Stanton on the roster limits other moves the Yankees can make because he ties up the designated hitter position. If the Yankees were able to move on from him, they would have greater flexibility. 

The most likely scenario for the 2026 New York Yankees is to have Ben Rice playing first base full-time. The Yankees need to acquire a backup infielder who can play first base. If Oswaldo Cabrera is fully rehabilitated from his injury, he can certainly fill that role if need be.

Also, if the Yankees acquire a right-handed hitting backup catcher who can also play some first base, that would be ideal. I think the only way the Yankees would bring back Bellinger to play first base would be if they were able to trade Giancarlo Stanton. They could always release him, but I don't think they will do that. That would free up the DH spot which could then be rotated among Rice, Bellinger, and the three outfielders. That probably won't happen.

I believe that Ben Rice will be the starting first baseman and that will probably be a very good thing for the Yankees. I suspect his offensive numbers will only improve.