Ben Rice homered twice and drove in five runs as the Yankees crushed the Rays 12-4 at Tropicana Field on Thursday, his 27th and 28th home runs of the season, a team-leading total that is going to look very comfortable in a Home Run Derby bracket on July 13 in Philadelphia.
The first homer, a two-run shot that just cleared the right-field wall, came in a six-run third inning that chased Tampa's Drew Rasmussen and gave the Yankees their most productive inning in weeks.
The second was a three-run blast off Casey Legumina in the sixth. Six home runs in his last nine games.
Twenty-eight on the year. A first baseman from Brownsburg, Indiana, who was a 12th-round pick in 2022 and has transformed himself into one of the most productive young hitters in the American League.
Teammate Ryan McMahon described Rice after the game with the kind of precision that tells you everyone in that clubhouse has noticed what is happening.
"The guy hits a million homers. He's got a super-short, super-tight swing. He's putting a lot of energy into that baseball. He's not losing it by getting long, and he's consistent. He shows up every single day."
The game also featured Jazz Chisholm Jr. delivering a pregame speech telling the team they were better than their recent results, the Yankees had lost 15 of 20, and the offense responding immediately.
Austin Wells hit his fifth home run of the year. The Yankees scored their most runs since June 16.
Rice is going to the Derby Monday. His dad Dan is throwing the pitches. He is ready.