Stanton and Rice hit early homers as Yankees beat Rays 7-4 on busy trade-deadline day

NEW YORK (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton and Ben Rice homered in the first two innings and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-4 in a game interrupted by rain for nearly three hours Thursday.

On a busy trade-deadline day, the Yankees made a flurry of moves highlighted by the acquisition of two-time All-Star reliever David Bednar from Pittsburgh for three minor leaguers.

Tampa Bay, also active at the deadline, lost three starters to injury during the game.

Stanton hit his eighth homer since returning from tendinitis in both elbows last month for a 3-0 lead against starter Ryan Pepiot (6-9) four batters in. Rice launched a three-run shot into the Yankees’ bullpen in right-center to make it 6-0.

New York starter Marcus Stroman (3-3) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings. Yerry de los Santos struck out five in three perfect innings, then was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the game.

Jonathan Loáisiga got three outs for his first save since 2022.

Cody Bellinger hit an RBI single ahead of Stanton’s two-run homer. Yankees newcomer Austin Slater had an RBI groundout in the third, and New York won for the fourth time in five games since putting Aaron Judge on the injured list.

Stroman did not allow a hit until the fourth, when the Rays scored four times. Jonathan Aranda and Jonny DeLuca hit RBI singles, Taylor Walls had an RBI double and Junior Caminero lifted a sacrifice fly.

Pepiot was tagged for seven runs and six hits in four innings.