Yankees rookie makes bet he’ll likely never think about again based on team’s form

The New York Yankees looked like a powerhouse through the first two months of the season. General manager Brian Cashman was more aggressive than in previous offseasons and added Juan Soto, Marcus Stroman, and Alex Verdugo. The early results had the Yankees looking like an unstoppable force who would power their way to their 28th World Series title.

Now? They look like one of the worst teams in all of baseball. How bad has it been? They are 5-15 since June 15 (as of this writing on July 9) and have lost seven consecutive series. Since June 15, every other team in the majors has won at least eight games. That's how bad things have gone for the Yankees. The batting lineup is lifeless without Giancarlo Stanton and the starting pitching hasn't been as solid as it was through the first two months of the season. What has that led to? Fans calling for the heads of general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone.

One player who has been hitting well during his short time with the team is rookie first baseman Ben Rice, who notably hit three home runs in their July 6 game against the Boston Red Sox.

During an appearance on Foul Territory TV, Rice was shown a video of a Yankees fan who promised to shave their head if Rice hit a third home run in the July 6 game. When asked by the hosts if he would shave his head if the Yankees win the World Series, Rice said "sure."

Ben Rice promises to shave his head if Yankees win the World Series

Yankees fans will for sure hold Rice to that if the team can turn things around.

With Aaron Boone as manager the Yankees have seen the team start off strong, only to enter brutal slumps in the summer for three consecutive seasons. In 2022, the team held a .500 record in July games, and went 10-18 in August. In 2023, the Yankees struggled to stay relevant after Aaron Judge suffered a broken toe, going 10-15 in July and 10-18 in August. Now this season, the Yankees are once again struggling.

The Yankees bats have gone silent with Giancarlo Stanton sidelined due to a hamstring injury. The starting rotation has entered a simultaneous slump. The team is making mindless and befuddling errors in the field and on the base paths. It is...the same old story for the Yankees.

Rice has been the bright spot on the team thus far since he officially made his debut on June 18. Through 18 games, Rice is slashing .273/.359/.545 while recording four home runs, eight runs, 12 RBI, 15 hits, 11 strikeouts, and eight walks in 55 at-bats.

We'll see if the Yankees can turn things around in the coming days, weeks, or months. But if the Yankees do find a way to break out of their slump and win the World Series, Rice will promise to shave all of the hair on his head.