Add The New York Post on Google Ben Rice ranked second behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. among American League first basemen in the first results of fan voting this week, so there’s no guarantee he’ll be in Philadelphia for the All-Star Game.
But Rice said Tuesday if he got the chance to participate in the Home Run Derby, he’d accept.
“If I were to get asked to go, I would love to do it,’’ Rice said before the Yankees opened a series in The Bronx against the White Sox. “I have not heard anything about it, but sure, I’d be interested. I’ve watched it every year. It would be fun.”
Rice entered play Tuesday behind only Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, Minnesota’s Byron Buxton and injured White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami in the AL home run count, with 19.
Unlike some others, Rice said he’s not concerned about the derby potentially throwing off his swing.
“I don’t think a few different BPs would mess up my swing, and I think that’s all it would be,’’ Rice said.
Rice delivered a huge home run, his 19th on the season, to help beat the Blue Jays on Sunday, but it was just his second in 11 games since Aaron Judge went out with a fractured rib.
He had a 1.056 OPS with Judge in the lineup and has put up a .735 mark in Judge’s absence.
