X FACTOR: Which Yankees players are POISED to Outperform Expectations for the Yankees This Season?

New York Yankees fans eye a lineup transformation as Ben Rice emerges as a potential X factor for 2026. With Rice’s power bat joining forces with Cody Bellinger and a rebounding Trent Grisham, could the Yankees finally fill the void left by Juan Soto’s departure? Brian McKeon and Stacey Gotsulias dissect Rice’s impressive growth, including his stellar hard hit rate and reduced strikeouts, comparing his trajectory to All-Star MVPs and Hall of Famers.The hosts spotlight Ryan McMahon’s defensive stability at third base and weigh in on Austin Wells’ chance for a comeback. Insider MLB talk heats up as the Tigers land Framber Valdez while playing hardball in arbitration with Tarik Skubal—does this set up Detroit’s rotation for dominance or drama? Updates on Camilo Doval’s bullpen role and recent arbitration victories wrap up a must-listen, stats-packed episode for Yankees diehards and baseball insiders alike.Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclubSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Turbo TaxFor a limited time, you can have your taxes done by a local TurboTax expert for just $150 — all in, if a TurboTax expert didn’t file for you last year. Just file by February 28. Take taxes off your plate and get back to your life.Visit https://TurboTax.com/local to book your appointment today. IndeedListeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcastFanDuelIf you’re a new customer, bet just $5 and get $200 in Bonus Bets if you win. Make it count — because after the Super Bowl, the season is over. Last call for football on FanDuel, an Official Sportsbook Partner of Super Bowl Sixty. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.