The New York Yankees just lost Aaron Judge for the next eight weeks due to a fractured rib. Despite losing the best hitter in baseball, the team is still winning. They just crushed the Chicago White Sox 12-2. The biggest reason for their continued success is Ben Rice. He is having an incredible breakout season and is currently carrying the Yankees’ offense with a .292 batting average and 20 home runs.

However, Rice recently made some comments that sent the Yankees fanbase into a total panic. He wants to participate in the Home Run Derby.

“If I were to get asked to go, I would love to do it,” Rice said, according to the New York Post. “I have not heard anything about it, but sure, I’d be interested. I’ve watched it every year. It would be fun.”

The 2026 MLB Home Run Derby will take place on Monday, July 13, 2026. The event will be held at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, the home stadium of the Philadelphia Phillies, as part of the 2026 MLB All-Star Week. To be broadcast by Netflix, the hit show is expected to be a starry affair, even though the reigning Derby champion, Cal Raleigh, will miss due to his injury-laden start.

None of the eight contenders for the 2026 Derby have been finalized, but Rice is making himself available. Till now, Vladimir Guerrero is leading the race among the AL’s first basemen in terms of fan voting. Rice’s willingness to compete could earn him a spot, but it comes with a massive risk

Fans remember exactly what happened to Jazz Chisholm Jr. last year, and they do not want to see history repeat itself.

Last year, Chisholm was batting .230 with 17 homers and 47 RBIs before the All-Star break. He entered the 2025 HR Derby and got eliminated in the first round. He could only hit three HRs, but the worst part was how he went into a noticeable funk at the plate shortly after the Derby. Reportedly, in his first 20 games out of the break, he hit just .197 with a .568 OPS and two HRs. The Yankees fans don’t want to see the same with Rice. 

Rice is having a dream season this year after hitting .171 and .255 in the last two years, respectively. The Yankees are already missing Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Trent Grisham. Rice is the one leading the offense. Even Boone is confident that the Yankees would survive without the key names missing.

“I want to get those guys back, but the one thing I’ve maintained with you guys all year is I feel like we’re a deeper team than we’ve been in a lot of years and capable of withstanding some significant people being out of the lineup or out of the rotation,” Boone said.

Now, Rice missing out on his swing after the HR Derby would be the worst to happen to the Yankees. The fans took to social media, voicing their concerns.

The Yankees fans are left in panic

According to the Yankees fans, Ben Rice hitting in the Derby is highly risky.

“DON’T DO IT, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO JAZZ,” one fan said. “I hope he doesn’t do it !!! His swing is perfect right now!” Another fan warned.

The Derby requires maximum-effort swings that force batters to target low-pitch, high-launch-angle home runs. This can cause a batter to develop traits like over-swinging, dropping their back shoulder, or pulling the ball excessively, which ruins their timing and plate discipline in standard games. Also, taking over 100 maximum-effort swings in a short timeframe places unusual, intense stress on a batter’s back, core, and shoulders. Chisholm couldn’t escape the impact, and the Yankees fans think Rice would face the same.

“Please no, everyone’s swing seems to get jacked up after they do that,” another fan added.

No one faced the curse of HR Derby worse than Bobby Abreu in 2005. Notably, after scoring 41 HRs in the 2005 Derby, his swing mechanics were altered. He managed only six HRs in the second half of the season. According to Baseball Savant, Rice’s hard-hit% stands at 85 percentile and exit velocity at 89.

Yankees fans fear such a beautiful swing could be affected by the HR Derby. Other batters have faced it, and Rice will be no exception.

“NO BEN, NO. Save that beautiful swing,” a request made by a user. “NO BEN, NO. It ruins swings!” Another agreed.

Rice would love to participate in the hitting show for the first time, but the Yankees fans are not loving it. Let’s see if the Yankees’ current best hitter listens to his fans.