Yankees reliever Jake Bird was in a world of trouble in the sixth inning of Saturday's series finale in San Francisco against the Giants.
Mar 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice flips the ball to first to record an out against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images Yankees reliever Jake Bird was in a world of trouble in the sixth inning of Saturday’s series finale in San Francisco against the Giants.
Nursing a three-run lead, the Giants had men on the corners with just one out and the speedy Harrison Bader at the plate — not the easiest candidate to double up. Bird got the grounder he needed with a 94-mph sinker, second baseman Jazz Chisholm made a quick flip to Jose Caballero, and the shortstop had to hurry to get Bader. The throw was wide, but first baseman Ben Rice was able to stay on the bag, making a lunging catch before falling up the first-base line to end the inning and get the Yankees out of a jam.in San Francisco, with Rice doing most of the heavy lifting. It was his third-inning two-run double that was ultimately the game-winner.“Benny was great,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Huge hit to get us going. Probably the one ballpark it doesn’t go out. He continues to do things well at first base.” The defense has continued to come along in ways that suggest the Yankees have a franchise option at the position. A natural catcher, he only picked up first base in the second half of the 2024 season.“You forget it’s as new as it is,” Boone said. “He’s a catcher. It really wasn’t until the back end of 24 that he started playing first base. Got a lot of experience there last year, has worked really hard, and has been a guy throughout his minor-league career that if you give him a challenge, he’s been able to conquer it. He keeps getting better over there, and we need him to keep doing it.” Rice added that he is “about as pleased as you can be” with the way his glove has developed at his new position. “The more games I get under my belt, the more comfortable I’m going to feel,” he said. “I can do as much practice as much as I want but the reality is I have to keep getting in-game reps to feel better. Hopefully, we can continue in that direction.”Joe Pantorno has been the executive sports editor of amNewYork since 2020. He covers the New York Mets and is a member of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America . He is also a member of the Pro Hockey Writers’ Association and has covered the New York Islanders for nearly a decade. His previous stops include Bleacher Report and Metro New York, while his work has been featured in the New York Post, Newsday, and Yahoo! Sports.Yankees vs. Red Sox Game 3 Betting Preview: Starters, HR Odds & PredictionWhy the OneTaste case should concern every AmericanHow many of the newest NYC subway trains will have open gangways? MTA says that depends on numerous challenges City’s ‘Pothole Blitz’ resumes on Saturday for third straight weekend of repairing dangerous craters on roadways across QueensPulitzer winner John Patrick Shanley debuts new play in NYC
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