What happened: Ben Rice became the third player in He joins Aaron Judge and Joe DiMaggio as the only players to accomplish the feat.
Why it matters: The milestone cements Rice's presence in the lineup. He is the first primary first baseman to record a 40-homer season for New York since Jason Giambi. His production provides essential stability as the team prepares for the postseason amidst uncertainty surrounding Judge's calf injury.
By the numbers: Rice boasts a .900 OPS with 41 home runs and 23 doubles on the season. He sits in a four-way tie atop the American League home run leaderboard.
What to watch: New York looks to finalize its playoff positioning as the regular season concludes. Rice will be relied upon in the upcoming wild card series.