Aaron Judge and Ben Rice match Yankees greats Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra with powerful starts

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Aaron Judge allowed Ben Rice to match his home run total for only a few pitches.

Together, the sluggers have now accomplished something for the New York Yankees with their powerful starts that only Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra had done before them.

Rice went 404 feet the opposite way for a two-run shot to left field in the Yankees' 4-2 win at Texas on Monday night, his 10th homer of the season. Judge immediately followed by driving a full-count curveball 414 feet to tie for the MLB lead with his 11th.

“After he hit his, he said, `I'm not going to let Benny catch me,'” Rice said with a smile. “Just trying to keep him honest, keep him motivated.”

They became the second pair of Yankees teammates to each have 10 or more homers in the first 29 games of a season, joining Mantle and Berra in 1956.

“I’m glad that I don’t have to face them, let’s just put it that way,” said Yankees starter Max Fried (4-1), who threw six scoreless innings for New York (19-10).

“Benny’s off to an amazing start. Judgie, ho-hum, 11 homers already,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It's a pretty good combo there.”

Rice, a 27-year-old first baseman, is hitting .322 with 23 RBIs. Judge is at .252 with 19 RBIs.

“Just consistent at-bat after consistent at-bat. Like it’s must-watch TV at this point,” Judge said of Rice. “He's going to put something in play hard or he’s going to take his walk and pass the baton. It's just impressive to watch, and I get a front-row seat. ... And, makes my job easier when he does that.”

Rice deposited a 95 mph first-pitch fastball from Jack Leiter into the Yankees bullpen in left-center field to make it 2-0 with two outs in the third inning. It was Rice's sixth homer in 11 games.

Judge then homered into the left-field seats, the ball landing not far from the spot he hit his AL season record 62nd homer on Oct. 4, 2022. He also had two doubles and was hit by a pitch in his other plate appearances.

“Maybe his best game of at-bats. ... On all four times, stings two doubles, smokes the homer where he just rides out the curveball,” Boone said.

And it came a day after Judge also went deep on his 34th birthday.

Judge has hit 260 of his 379 career homers since the start of the 2021 season and already has four 50-homer seasons.

Rice has 43 homers in 216 career games since his debut in June 2024.

After their fast starts in 1956, Mantle went on to hit a majors-best 52 homers and Berra finished with 30.

When Rice was asked if he could keep pace with Judge all season, he said he's relishing the moment now.

“Yeah, I don’t know how long this is going to last, but I’m enjoying it. I’m enjoying it right now being this close,” Rice said before reflecting on the history he now shares with a trio of three-time MVPs: Judge and two Hall of Fame players.

“It’s pretty cool. I definitely would not have anticipated something like that,” he said. “But obviously the three names I’m surrounded with there are pretty big ones, so definitely very humbling.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees' Ben Rice rounds the bases after hitting a tw-run home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers Monday, April 27, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge celebrates in the dugout with the team after hitting a solo home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers Monday, April 27, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge and Ben Rice, right, celebrate Rice's two-run home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers Monday, April 27, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Sharyn Alfonsi and Scott Pelley, two of the correspondents ousted from “60 Minutes” as part of a major shakeup at the storied CBS News show, are moving from the newsroom to the classroom.

Columbia Journalism School announced Monday that the two would serve as Journalists in Residence for the upcoming academic year.

In a statement, the school said the two, who both lost their “60 Minutes” jobs two months ago amid changes imposed by CBS News' editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, would in their part-time positions advise and mentor students, give lectures and contribute to the Columbia Journalism Review, among other things.

“Their appointments give CJS students access to two journalists whose reporting has shaped the national conversation for decades," the statement said. "Alfonsi and Pelley have covered many of the defining stories of our time — from war and politics to public health, criminal justice and international affairs.”

In an interview, Jelani Cobb, dean of the journalism school, said he had reached out to Pelley the day after he was fired in early June after he confronted CBS News leadership about the changes instituted by Weiss. That included replacing the show’s executive producer, Tanya Simon, with Nick Bilton, who had little substantial broadcast TV experience.

“One of the responsibilities of my job is to have an eye out for talent that’s available,” Cobb said. “The caliber of their investigative work was just unparalleled. ‘60 Minutes’ is the preeminent investigative broadcast news show for a reason.”

The decision was made quickly, and then was kept under wraps in order to announce the news closer to the beginning of the academic year, Cobb said.

In a statement released by the school, Alfonsi, who spent more than a decade reporting for “60 Minutes” before the show failed to renew her contract this year, called the new position "an extraordinary privilege, especially at a time when deep, rigorous and fearless reporting has never been more vital.”

“I’m excited to work with the next generation of journalists who are eager to ask the tough questions that hold power accountable," Alfonsi said.

Pelley, who anchored “CBS Evening News” and spent more than 37 years at the network, 27 of them at “60 Minutes," noted in his statement that it was “a critical time for a free press.”

“Columbia is leading the way in training the next generation of great journalists and I am honored to join Sharyn in that vital cause," Pelley said.

In addition to their work advising and mentoring students, Alfonsi and Pelley will participate in a Nov. 11 dialogue moderated by Cobb, the dean said.

That panel will discuss “significant stories that they’ve done over the course of their careers, what they’ve learned as journalists, how they have navigated different ethical conflicts that have come up — the things that they’ve learned over the course of their careers,” Cobb said.

At “60 Minutes,” meanwhile, a new slate of correspondents has been announced ahead of the show's 59th season.

FILE - Scott Pelley, anchor of "CBS Evening News," poses in New York, May 15, 2013. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)