After the season the Mets had, it is very difficult to rank any New York Mets player above the New York Yankees. But one broadcaster just did. Finishing with 168 hits and a 4.3 WAR, one broadcaster has deemed that Benge is better than Yankees superstar Ben Rice.
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In a recent show on SNY, Mets broadcaster Keith Raad said, “Benge is gonna be a better player than Ben Rice.”
Keith Raad’s Carson Benge comparison was never about dismissing what Ben Rice accomplished in 2026.
Rice, who had a strong 2025 rookie campaign, continued so in 2026 and has been one of baseball’s most dangerous hitters, producing 41 homers and 97 RBIs during the regular season. Then came Game 1 against the Red Sox.
Rice smashed 2 homers, including a grand slam, driving home 6 runs. But Raad sees Benge creating more impact because his game stretches beyond what happens inside the batter’s box.
That difference becomes clearer when comparing their first full seasons in the major leagues.
Rice hit 26 homers with 65 RBIs and an .836 OPS across 138 games during 2025. Benge finished 2026 with 20 homers, 65 RBIs, and a .776 OPS across 156 games.
Yet Benge had 168 hits, 22 steals, and 4.3 WAR in his first full season, compared with Rice’s 119 hits, 3 steals, and 2.2 WAR in his first full season.
Those numbers help explain why Raad sees Benge impacting games through more than just the bat.
Benge can reach base, steal a bag, cover ground, and create pressure. His 22 steals came with an 81.5% success rate, while Rice attempted only 5 steals during 2025. Benge also finished with 6 defensive runs added, while Rice posted minus-4 according to Baseball-Reference.
That all-around value became more important after Benge endured a rough beginning to his rookie campaign.
He hit just .136 through his first 20 games, but the Mets were patient.
Benge gradually found his rhythm and became one of Queens’ most reliable offensive players.
On September 19, his 156th hit passed Pete Alonso’s Mets rookie record, giving him a historic moment.
The milestone came before Benge completed the franchise’s first rookie 20-homer, 20-steal season. Against the Nationals, his 20th homer made him just the eighth player ever to achieve that feat.
That finish pushed Benge firmly into the National League Rookie of the Year conversation, despite the Mets finishing bottom in the NL East with a 74-88 record.
Andy Green backed Benge’s award case, praising everything the rookie contributed beyond his offensive numbers. Raad’s argument does not take anything away from Rice, whose bat can change games in one pitch. But he sees Benge as someone capable of changing games in several different ways. And that puts Carson Benge above Ben Rice.
And it’s not Raad who backs Benge; even the wealthiest in the sports supports his teammate.
Juan Soto backs Mets teammate Carson Benge to win the NL ROTY
Carson Benge’s rookie season gave Mets fans plenty to celebrate, but Juan Soto took it further.
The superstar outfielder called Benge a “superstar” while making his case for Rookie of the Year.
“100%,” Soto said of Benge, praising what he showed offensively, defensively, and while running the bases.
“He’s a superstar. He’s been doing a really good job,” Soto added after watching Benge grow throughout 2026.
Benge had plenty behind those words, finishing his debut with 20 home runs and 22 stolen bases. He also hit .282 with 65 RBIs. That put him ahead of JJ Wetherholt offensively, while his 4.3 WAR also strengthened his case against Sal Stewart.
Stewart hit 32 homers and drove in 111 runs, but Benge offered considerably more value beyond the batter’s box.
And that defensive value became harder to ignore as Benge kept making plays from right field. He finished with 10 outfield assists, while his 96.6 mph arm strength ranked in MLB’s 99th percentile. His arm value reached the 100th percentile, giving the Mets a weapon whenever runners tested him.
Benge also became the first Mets rookie ever to join the 20-20 club.
But his season meant even more when Soto started looking toward what comes next.
Asked what gave him confidence about the Mets competing in 2027, Soto answered, “Carson Benge.”
“That’s the confidence we have,” Soto said, pointing toward a young core that can help the Mets move forward.
For Benge, that rookie season suddenly became more than an award case, with Soto seeing him as part of New York’s future.