Yankees 9-11 Blue Jays: Williams wastes 9-run New York fightback

New York Yankees players talk on the mound during the first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Wednesday, July 2, 2025.
Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP
Sara Molnick
Wednesday July 2, 2025

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New York Yankees 9-11 Toronto Blue Jays

TORONTO — What started as a catastrophe almost transformed into an extraordinary comeback — but ultimately concluded in agony for the New York Yankees.

Despite overcoming an eight-run disadvantage and leveling the contest in the eighth, the Yankees suffered a devastating 11-9 defeat to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday evening at Rogers Centre. George Springer raced home on Devin Williams’ errant pitch to cap Toronto’s third consecutive victory in the series and create a deadlock with New York atop the AL East at 48-38.

The defeat represented a massive momentum swing in the division: the Yankees, who previously held a seven-game advantage in late May, have now lost six of their previous 10 series and stand 13-18 since May 28. Meanwhile, the ascending Blue Jays have compiled a 21-10 record during that identical period.

Yankees Collapse Early

Will Warren’s start disintegrating almost immediately. The rookie right-hander failed to escape the opening frame, surrendering seven runs in merely two-thirds of an inning. The devastating blow came via Addison Barger’s three-run blast, while Davis Schneider contributed a solo shot to expand the early deficit to 7-0.

Schneider continued his assault, connecting again in the third to stretch Toronto’s advantage to 8-0 — an apparently insurmountable chasm.

Bombers Mount Charge, Then Collapse

To their credit, the Yankees refused to surrender. Following two early runs, they erupted for six in the sixth inning, highlighted by Giancarlo Stanton’s first homer this season — a mammoth three-run drive that trimmed the deficit to 9-8. During the eighth, Aaron Judge demolished a two-run shot against Yimi García — his MLB-best 31st homer — to even the score at 9-9.

However, the celebration proved fleeting.

In the frame’s bottom half, Williams issued a one-out walk to Springer, who swiped second and reached third on Alejandro Kirk’s flyout. With Guerrero Jr. intentionally passed and two outs, Williams unleashed a changeup that skipped away — enabling Springer to cross with the decisive run. Barger subsequently added an insurance RBI single.

Judge Approaches Mantle Milestone

Aaron Judge enjoyed another exceptional evening, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBI while drawing his 22nd intentional walk this season — one short of Mickey Mantle’s single-season Yankees record established in 1957. The total also represents the most intentional walks by any MLB player before the All-Star break since Albert Pujols in 2010.

Judge’s third-inning single also measured 118.1 mph off the bat — his hardest contact since 2022.

Key Moment & Stat

Springer’s theft of second base in the eighth — his sixth this season — proved pivotal. The steal altered the inning’s dynamics, pressured the Yankees’ bullpen, and established the game-winning wild pitch by Williams.

Wednesday marked the first occasion in franchise history the Yankees permitted seven runs in the opening inning and rallied to tie the contest — only to lose in the same game. It also represented their second defeat this season when scoring at least nine runs.

Yankees roster

hittersABRHRBIHRBBKAVGOBPSLG
B. Rice C52210100.2330.3270.473
A. Judge RF42331100.3630.470.735
C. Bellinger CF-1B50110010.2670.3260.457
G. Stanton DH41131110.2440.3460.333
A. Wells PR-DH00000000.2140.2750.424
J. Chisholm Jr. 3B40100120.240.3390.49
P. Goldschmidt 1B50200010.2860.3470.431
O. Peraza 2B00000000.1570.2330.273
J. Dominguez LF51200020.2560.3370.387
A. Volpe SS51100000.2240.3040.403
D. LeMahieu 2B22110100.2540.3330.331
aT. Grisham PH-CF20100000.2480.3490.467
pitchersIPHRERBBKHRPC-STERA
W. Warren4108844299-575.02
I. Hamilton1.210011021-123.45
T. Hill1.111102111-112.61
D. Williams (L, 2-3)112221025-145.17

What’s Next

The Yankees send RHP Clarke Schmidt (4-4, 3.09 ERA) to the mound for Thursday’s crucial series finale, hoping to prevent a four-game sweep. He’ll oppose Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (7-4, 4.29 ERA).

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

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Javiles86

Another game that Boone lost the Yankees by not managing. 8th inning runners in 2nd and 3rd left handed batter against Williams, right hander batter ondeck with 1st base open our manager did not walk the lefty to pitch righty against righty, after the 2 runsscored and when the match happened the righty grounded out to 3rd. Small baseball thinking like must of the other managers manage would have kept us in the game and maybe a different outcome. Small inteligent moves like that never happen with Boone.

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