Who cost the Yankees their greatest rally — Williams or Rice?

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TORONTO — The New York Yankees authored one of their most spectacular comebacks of the season Wednesday night, only to watch it crumble in heartbreaking fashion during an 11-9 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

After digging out of an 8-0 deficit and tying the game on Aaron Judge’s towering eighth-inning homer, the Yankees saw their remarkable rally vanish when closer Devin Williams unleashed a wild pitch that allowed the winning runs to score.

The defeat marked New York’s third consecutive loss and dropped them into a tie atop the American League East standings. More troubling for the Yankees was how the game slipped away after such a valiant effort to overcome early adversity.

Rookie starter creates early chaos

Will Warren’s outing turned disastrous from the opening pitch. The right-hander surrendered seven runs before recording his third out of the first inning, putting the Yankees in an immediate hole that appeared insurmountable.

Warren’s struggles continued through four innings as Toronto built an 8-0 advantage. The rookie’s performance raised immediate questions about his readiness for consistent major league starts and his role in the Yankees’ rotation.

“You blink and there’s seven runs on the board,” Warren said, acknowledging the brutal start.

The early deficit seemed to doom the Yankees to another lopsided loss in what has become a troubling stretch of baseball.

Yankees mount furious comeback

New York’s offense refused to surrender despite the massive deficit. The Yankees rally began in earnest during a six-run fifth inning that featured contributions from DJ LeMahieu, Ben Rice, and Judge.

The breakthrough moment came when Giancarlo Stanton finally ended his home run drought with a three-run blast that traveled 415 feet. The long ball was Stanton’s first of the season and provided crucial momentum for the Yankees’ comeback attempt.

Aaron Judge delivered the equalizer in the eighth inning with his 31st homer of the year. The 440-foot moonshot silenced the Rogers Centre crowd and tied the game at 9-9.

“Yimi has had my number for years,” Judge admitted. “I’ve faced him many times here at the Rogers Centre late in the game, big spots. I would’ve had him pitch against me, too.”

Williams blows golden Yankees opportunity

Manager Aaron Boone’s decision to bring Williams into the game proved costly. The closer started strong by striking out the first batter but walked George Springer on five pitches. Springer immediately stole second base.

Boone chose to intentionally walk Vladimir Guerrero Jr. rather than challenge the dangerous slugger. The strategy backfired when Williams bounced a changeup past Rice with runners in scoring position.

Springer scored easily on the wild pitch. Guerrero followed home on Alejandro Barger’s RBI single, giving Toronto an 11-9 lead it would not relinquish.

“That wasn’t the easiest one to block for Ben, so I’ve got to make a better pitch,” Williams said postgame.

Ben Rice accepted equal responsibility for the decisive play.

“That’s on me there. I’ve got to find a way to keep it in front,” Rice said.

Boone faces mounting pressure

The loss extended the Yankees’ recent struggles to 13 defeats in their last 19 games. The slide has erased a seven-game division lead that New York held as recently as May 28.

For the first time since April 13, the Yankees no longer hold sole possession of first place in the AL East. The collapse has intensified scrutiny of Boone’s management decisions.

“We’ve obviously had a tough stretch here, but we’ll get through it,” Boone said. “I always say, you’ve got to pack a lunch when you come play in this division.”

Boone declined to directly criticize Williams or Rice but admitted the bullpen management was a “tough call” in navigating Toronto’s dangerous lineup.

Warren’s readiness questioned

Warren’s performance cannot be overlooked despite the offense’s heroic comeback effort. Surrendering seven runs in the first inning against a division rival raises serious concerns about his major league readiness.

The rookie eventually settled down and completed four innings, but the early damage proved too much to overcome completely.

“It’s nice seeing them put up nine runs after I gave up seven in the first like that. That shows the fight; that shows the camaraderie of this team,” Warren said.

However, fight alone may not be sufficient as the Yankees face mounting pressure in their division race.

Multiple culprits share responsibility

The loss featured several critical mistakes that contributed to the Yankees’ downfall. Williams’ wild pitch, Rice’s inability to block the ball, and Warren’s disastrous start all played pivotal roles.

Boone’s bullpen management also drew criticism, particularly the decision to bring Williams into a high-leverage situation earlier than usual.

“Any loss is brutal, but for the offense to come back and battle back and tie it up like that, that’s all you can do there,” Judge said.

The Yankees’ pitching staff has struggled significantly in July. Gerrit Cole’s continued absence has left a void in the rotation that Warren and others have been unable to fill adequately.

Season at crossroads

The Yankees (48-38) will attempt to avoid a four-game sweep when they face Toronto again Thursday. How they respond to this devastating loss could determine whether July becomes a turning point or the beginning of a deeper spiral.

Their recent inconsistency has been particularly concerning given their early-season success. The bullpen’s late-game struggles have become a recurring theme that threatens to derail their playoff aspirations.

The division race remains tight, but continued collapses like Wednesday’s effort will make it difficult for New York to maintain their championship expectations. The Yankees need to find answers quickly before their season slips away entirely.

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