The Yankees kept their momentum rolling Thursday night, downing the Tampa Bay Rays 6–3 at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. The victory marked their fourth straight win, showcasing an offense that’s starting to hit its stride just as the weather is starting to turn back in New York.
Ben Rice Fuels Offensive Surge
The Yankees lineup looked like a well-oiled machine all night, piling up 11 hits, drawing four walks, and striking out only five times. In fact, the top four hitters in the lineup didn’t strike out at all—a rare and welcome sight in today’s game.
Ben Rice continues to look like a hitting machine out of the designated hitter slot. Rice carved up Rays pitching, going 4-for-5 and driving in two runs. His incredible start to the season shows no sign of slowing down, as his slash line climbed to a robust .317/.414/.650. At this point, pitching to Rice feels like trying to contain a wildfire: you can attempt to manage it, but stopping him completely seems impossible.
Veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt also chipped in nicely, contributing two hits and scoring twice. Even Oswaldo Cabrera joined the party, hitting a home run and adding two hits and two runs of his own. Nights like this are exactly why the Yankees built such a diverse lineup: when everyone contributes, the offense is nearly unstoppable.
Pitching Struggles Early, But Stabilizes Late
Will Warren’s start wasn’t exactly one for the scrapbook. The young right-hander lasted just 1.2 innings, giving up four hits and struggling mightily to find the strike zone. He left the bases loaded in the second inning, forcing manager Aaron Boone to pull the plug early after just 53 pitches.
Enter Ryan Yarbrough, who wasn’t perfect but ate crucial innings in long relief. He navigated through trouble, surrendering two runs and six hits over 2.2 innings of gritty work. Yarbrough wasn’t flashy, but he was steady enough to keep the Yankees in position to strike back, holding the line when the situation could’ve unraveled completely.
Bullpen Locks Things Down Late
While the offense stole the headlines, the bullpen quietly slammed the door shut. Tim Hill, Ian Hamilton, and Devin Williams combined for an impressive 4.2 scoreless innings, striking out five batters along the way.
Williams, in particular, is showing signs of finding his groove after some rocky early-season outings. If the Yankees bullpen can consistently deliver these kinds of performances, the team becomes infinitely more dangerous.
Yankees Riding High as Momentum Builds
Winning four in a row gives the Yankees a sense of real momentum, something they desperately needed after an inconsistent start. With Rice sizzling, Goldschmidt steady as ever, and the bullpen starting to click, things are looking up in the Bronx.
Thursday’s victory was a microcosm of how the Yankees want to win games: plenty of timely hitting, resilient pitching, and clutch relief appearances. If they keep executing like this, the Yankees might just find themselves back where they belong—in control of their own destiny.