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Yankees Crush Rays 12-4; Rice Delivers Two Homers

7/10/2026

34 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Yankees Crush Rays

On July 9, the Yankees beat the Rays 12-4.
Ben Rice went 2-for-4 with two homers and five RBIs, while Austin Wells added a solo homer.
Paul Blackburn allowed one run in two innings, letting Ryan Yarbrough claim the win.
The victory left the Yankees four games back in AL East, prompting GM Brian Cashman to say Aaron Judge will have rib imaging at All-Star break, not affecting the deadline.

Summary

Yankees Seek Depth

Max Fried and Carlos Rodón are slated to rejoin the Yankees’ rotation in the coming weeks.
The Yankees still lack depth at catcher, in the bullpen, and across the infield.
Their payroll exceeds that of the division-leading club by almost $200 million.
Sitting five games back before the All-Star break, the Yankees risk over-reliance on deadline trades, a strategy whose success has been uneven under GM Brian Cashman.

History

Historical Context

In 2004 the New York Yankees, managed by Joe Torre, finished 101–61, won the AL East and led the ALCS 3-0. They became the only MLB team to lose a best-of-seven series after such a lead, falling to the Boston Red Sox in seven games. Facing a $1.9 billion payroll in 2024, GM Brian Cashman aims to avoid repeating that collapse.

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Yankees Crush Rays

On July 9, the Yankees beat the Rays 12-4.
Ben Rice went 2-for-4 with two homers and five RBIs, while Austin Wells added a solo homer.
Paul Blackburn allowed one run in two innings, letting Ryan Yarbrough claim the win.
The victory left the Yankees four games back in AL East, prompting GM Brian Cashman to say Aaron Judge will have rib imaging at All-Star break, not affecting the deadline.

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