NEW YORK – During the Yankees’ recent trip to Phoenix, Aaron Boone leaned back behind an office desk, clearly pleased by his prognostication ability. Months ago, he’d forecast that would finish with 39 home runs, a tally that seemed light to one interested party.

“You know what he’s trying to do,” Rice said then. “He was trying to get under my skin a little bit there. He likes to just short you one or two of maybe what your goal would be.”

Rice should appreciate this number more: His two-homer performance on Wednesday evening earned a share of the American League home run lead. Ryan McMahon hit a grand slam and George Lombard Jr. also went deep, powering a 9-2 victory over the Rays at Yankee Stadium.

With a team-leading 41 home runs, Rice tied the Orioles' Pete Alonso, Yordan Alvarez of the Astros and Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero for the most in the AL. The mark is a career high for Rice, who earned his first All-Star selection this past summer and projects to be an integral part of the Yanks’ playoff production.

Rice joined Aaron Judge (four times) as the only Yankees Draft picks to hit at least 40 home runs in a season. Judge (2017), Rice (‘26) and Joe DiMaggio (1937) are the only Yanks to have a 40-homer season within the first three years of his career.

McMahon drove in five runs as the Yankees won for the 10th time in 14 games.

Gerrit Cole limited Tampa Bay to two runs and three hits over 5 2/3 innings, throwing a season-high 105 pitches (63 strikes) in his final start of the regular season. The right-hander is preparing for an expected assignment in the AL Wild Card Series.

Cole walked three and struck out eight, surrendering a fifth-inning homer to Cedric Mullins. Cole finished the year with a 10-9 record and 3.61 ERA in 22 starts, having returned in late May from Tommy John surgery performed in March 2025.