April 3, 2025
New York Yankees first baseman
Paul Goldschmidt is getting the day off on Thursday for the series finale against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks at Yankee Stadium.
Ben Rice is getting the start at first base and is hitting leadoff against D-backs right-hander
Merrill Kelly. Goldy will take his first day off of the year after hitting atop New York's batting order the last four games. The 37-year-old former National League MVP has gotten off to a .250 batting average (5-for-20) with a homer, double, two RBI, one walk and six strikeouts in five games played. The seven-time All-Star showed plenty of signs of decline his last two years in St. Louis, but he could be a bit more intriguing as a bounce-back candidate if he continues to hit atop the Yankees' batting order. Rice will be a popular DFS play on Thursday in the leadoff spot after going 5-for-13 with two homers, a double and two RBI in his first five games in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 1, 2025
New York Yankees first baseman
Paul Goldschmidt is batting leadoff again on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks and right-hander
Corbin Burnes. It will be Goldschmidt's third time leading off in the early going in five games played. In his first game at leadoff on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers, the 37-year-old right-handed slugger hit the first pitch he saw out of the park and set the stage for the Yankees to set a new MLB record by homering three straight times on only three pitches to begin a game. He will now hit leadoff for the third straight game against a right-hander, and the Yanks don't really have any reason to change their lineup up after scoring 32 runs in the games that Goldy has hit leadoff. He's gone 5-for-12 with a homer, double and two RBI in three games and has hit .323 with an .834 OPS, a homer and two RBI in 31 career at-bats against Burnes.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
March 29, 2025
New York Yankees first baseman
Paul Goldschmidt is starting at first base and batting leadoff for the team's second game of the regular season on Saturday at Yankee Stadium against the Milwaukee Brewers and left-hander
Nestor Cortes. Catcher
Austin Wells was the team's leadoff hitter on Opening Day against Milwaukee on Thursday, but Goldy will sit atop the order on Saturday with a lefty on the mound. Outfielder
Jasson Dominguez is at designated hitter, which will push the lefty-hitting
Ben Rice to the bench with a southpaw starting. Goldschmidt went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Opening Day in his Yankees debut. The 37-year-old veteran has shown obvious signs of decline as a hitter the last few seasons before coming to the Bronx, although there is bounce-back potential with the Yankees, and hitting leadoff against lefties will help. Goldy has one hit in four career at-bats against Cortes.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
March 22, 2025
New York Yankees first baseman
Paul Goldschmidt (back) will return to the lineup on Saturday for the team's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies. The veteran was pulled from a game on March 17 due to back soreness but the team was hopeful he'd return this weekend. The 37-year-old will lead off for the Yankees on Saturday, a role he could see regularly this season when the team faces left-handed pitching according to manager Aaron Boone. The Phillies will deploy left-handed pitcher
Jesus Luzardo on Saturday. The 7x All-Star owns a career .323/.423/.586 slash line against LHP, compared to a .279/.368/.488 against RHP. The former MVP has seen a dwindling batting average and power numbers the last couple of seasons with a corresponding increase in strikeout and chase rate but has been solid this spring, slashing .313/.389/.688 with three home runs. He's still a viable fantasy option as long as he's healthy and is expected to be ready for Opening Day at this point, although the days of being an elite producer are likely over.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: New York Yankees
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