{"id":217110,"date":"2026-05-01T21:37:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T21:37:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/217110\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T21:37:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T21:37:10","slug":"yankees-bronx-bash-brothers-continue-to-make-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/217110\/","title":{"rendered":"Yankees’ Bronx Bash Brothers Continue To Make History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The New York Yankees<\/a> have another dynamic duo rewriting the record books and sending baseballs into orbit. Stop if you\u2019ve heard that one before. <\/p>\n

Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig are the greatest pair of teammates in sports history. Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris aren\u2019t far behind them. Captain and three-time American League MVP Aaron Judge has already been part of one of these duos; his partnership with Juan Soto<\/a> in 2024 propelled the Bronx Bombers to their first pennant win in 15 years<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Judge has yet again made himself part of a pair of historic prowess in pinstripes \u2013 this time with first baseman Ben Rice<\/a>, who wears the same No. 22 that Soto donned in his lone season in the Yankees clubhouse. <\/p>\n

\"YankeesApr 27, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) bumps elbows with right fielder Aaron Judge (99) after hitting two-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images Judge\u2019s Verdict And Rice\u2019s Serving <\/p>\n

With their combined might<\/a>, Judge and Rice have been laying down the law and serving it up. The two of them are the second pair of Yankees teammates to hit 10 or more home runs in the team\u2019s first 29 games, something that only by Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle accomplished (1956). <\/p>\n

Historic starts to the Major League Baseball campaign are nothing new for Aaron Judge, but it\u2019s even more special for Rice, a Dartmouth graduate who was drafted 363rd overall in 2021. In the case of New York\u2019s captain, though, Judge is relieved that he\u2019s produced a .288\/.432\/.814 slash line in his last 17 games. Prior to that, the future Hall of Famer was hitting .212 with a .721 OPS. <\/p>\n

On the other hand, Ben Rice swung a scorching hot bat for the entirety of March\/April. Rice\u2019s 1.7 fWAR is second-best, behind only Yordan Alvarez. Rice also ranks second in wRC+, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. <\/p>\n

Aaron Judge & Ben Rice have combined for 22 HR & 42 BB through the Yankees\u2019 first 30 games in 2026.<\/p>\n

The only other teammates to combine for both marks through 30 team games in MLB history are Mark McGwire + Jim Edmonds (StL) in 2000 & Babe Ruth + Lou Gehrig (NYY) in 1930. pic.twitter.com\/WdtjKugRnw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) April 29, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n

It also helps when extraordinary teammates can share some laughs and poke fun at one another. In a postgame interview<\/a> with the YES Network, Rice playfully quipped, \u201cI\u2019m just trying to keep him honest; keep him motivated. He\u2019s getting a little complacent\u201d. Rice gleefully winked as he spoke ebulliently of his revered teammate and friend. <\/p>\n

Yankees Are Atop American League <\/p>\n

History is kind to big league ball clubs that are in first place on May 1<\/a>. Since 1996 \u2014 the first full season with at least one Wild Card in each league after the 144-game 1995 season \u2014 88 of 174 eventual division champions held at least a share of their division lead entering May 1. That\u2019s 51 percent of division winners. <\/p>\n

To add to the voraciousness of Yankees fans even more \u2013 since 1996, 18 of the 29 World Series winners, excluding 2020, led their divisions entering May. <\/p>\n

At 20-11 with a .645 winning percentage, baseball\u2019s gold standard franchise owns first place in the American League east, and the best overall mark in the American League. Their +47 run differential is bested only by the MLB-best Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers. <\/p>\n

The Bronx Is Burgeoning <\/p>\n

The Yankees are coming off a 7-2 road trip in which they swept their arch rival Boston Red Sox and took two of three from both the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. Young flamethrower Cam Schlittler, who currently has the second-best ERA and lowest FIP in the big leagues, broke Boston. Shortly after their easy decimation of their nemesis, Boston fired manager Alex Cora and most of the coaching staff<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Max Fried and Will Warren both rank eighth and 11th in FIP themselves. Even without Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rod\u00f3n \u2013 both of whom are returning soon \u2013 the Bombers\u2019 rotation has been the finest in the majors. They\u2019re first in ERA, FIP, fWAR, and WHIP; the Yankees are listed second in average against, walk rate, and strikeout-to-walk ratio. <\/p>\n

Being gifted with the opportunity to face another anemic batting order is just what New York\u2019s stable of starting arms wanted, too. The Baltimore Orioles are in town this weekend, and they\u2019ll be up against Warren, Ryan Weathers, Fried, and Schlittler. Good luck to the O\u2019s. <\/p>\n

\"CamApr 28, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) throws during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images <\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just the rotation and terrific tandem getting it done for the Yankees, either. <\/p>\n

Shortstop Jos\u00e9 Caballero\u2019s 12 stolen bases trails only Nasim Nu\u00f1ez of the Washington Nationals, although he will unfortunately be usurped by the imminent return of Anthony Volpe. <\/p>\n

Amed Rosario has generated clutch home runs and an .830 OPS off the bench. Relievers Tim Hill and Brent Headrick are perhaps the best one-two punch of any bullpen right now. <\/p>\n

End Of My Yankees Rant <\/p>\n

Aaron Judge and Ben Rice are responsible for their team\u2019s blistering beginning to 2026; the Yankees are on pace for 104 wins, their most in a season since 1998. Fans are cognizant of the \u201998 squad\u2019s status as the greatest baseball team ever assembled. <\/p>\n

In no way though, of course, does that garner a comparison. It\u2019s the first day of May, and there are 131 games remaining. Manager Aaron Boone needs to extract much more from Austin Wells, Jazz Chisholm, Ryan McMahon, and Trent Grisham. The bullpen is shambolic, outside of Hill and Headrick. The team is 3-6 in one-run games and only .500 in divisional contests. <\/p>\n

Armed with a great chance to bury Baltimore and pad their lead in the AL East, the Yankees are cruising through the weakest part of their schedule right now, and it\u2019s important to crush opponents that they\u2019re supposed to easily defeat. That begins with a reeling Orioles team that hasn\u2019t recovered from a moribund 2025 season. <\/p>\n