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New York Times
18 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
If Yankees lose AL East to Blue Jays, it'll be because of sloppiness they just showed
TORONTO — No, the New York Yankees didn't just tie an anchor to their dream of winning the American League East and toss it into the deep waters of Lake Ontario. If they tried, they would have made a throwing error and hit the CN Tower anyway. Or at least that's how it seemed after the Yankees bumbled through a four-error, 8-4 defeat by the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night at the hostile Rogers Centre — the type of ugliness that sparks worst-loss-of-the-year talk. Advertisement If the Yankees lose the division to the Blue Jays, a big reason will be because they didn't show up when it mattered the most, beating themselves just as much — if not more — than Toronto beat them. 'We've got a lot of things we've got to clean up,' right fielder Aaron Judge said. 'We've got to go out there and believe that we're really good,' starting pitcher Max Fried said. What is going on???? — Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 24, 2025 The Yankees (56-46) find themselves in a rough spot after falling in two of three games versus Toronto (60-42). They're four games back of the first-place Blue Jays — a game farther back than they were when the series started Monday, when they had hopes of potentially returning to the States nearly tied for the top of the AL East. (The Blue Jays entered the series owning the tiebreaker.) The worst of it came Wednesday when they looked inept in support of Fried, who pitched OK despite getting tagged with four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. They made two errors in the fifth inning, another in the sixth and one more in the seventh. They threw two balls away (Fried, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr.) and booted two others (left fielder Jasson Domínguez, first baseman Ben Rice). They lost a fly ball in the sky (right fielder Cody Bellinger) and they let a gapper bounce over their head for a double (Domínguez), though it didn't net them another error. They finished their season 1-6 in Toronto. Overall, they're 3-7 versus the Blue Jays, making an astounding 12 total errors along the way. The Yankees made at least one error in six of the seven games at Rogers Centre. Manager Aaron Boone said the Yankees simply were 'not good enough,' though he added that the Yankees have a 'very good defensive club.' Going into Wednesday, the Yankees were sixth in baseball in total defensive runs saved with 33, according to FanGraphs. They were 17th in Outs Above Average with minus-4, according to Baseball Savant. Advertisement 'I think it's here, and in this building, we haven't played well,' Boone said. He didn't know why. 'I don't know if it's just coming to the turf,' he said. 'That's not really an excuse. Same game. But obviously, I think in these series and we gave too many outs, and it cost us.' Sloppiness was a problem in the other games, too. Two runs followed shortstop Anthony Volpe's sixth-inning throwing error in the Yankees' win Tuesday. Runs also scored after third baseman Oswald Peraza and Volpe made back-to-back throwing errors in the fifth inning Monday, contributing to the loss. The Yankees were swept in four games in Toronto from June 30 to July 3. Blame Canada? No, Boone said he didn't think the pressure-packed atmosphere of facing their division rival on the road had been a major factor. 'We've got to obviously tighten it up,' he said. 'Confident we will. We'll continue to work at it. We have good defenders here, but tonight was obviously a rough night for us.' Judge was asked whether Yankees players needed to look in the mirror or whether there was a team-wide issue. 'I think it's just all about everybody collectively saying, 'I've got to step up, focus more and just go out there and do my job,'' he said. 'That's what it comes down to. Just do your job.' The Yankees held a season-high seven-game lead in the division May 28, looking poised to run away with it through the summer. Since then, they have had spurts of inconsistency in every facet of their game, and they haven't figured out why. A saving grace for the Yankees? The expanded playoffs. The Yankees were still two games up for the top wild-card spot, and the trade deadline is next week. General manager Brian Cashman has already said publicly that he would be looking to make upgrades at third base and in the starting rotation and bullpen. Advertisement 'Look, obviously, we've had two crappy series here, there's no way around it,' Boone said. 'So maybe we'll get a chance to come back here at some point and flip that script. This is a place over the years where we've actually played pretty well. As frustrating as it is, and as pissed off as you are when we don't play our best against a team ahead of us, you obviously have to understand that it's a series, and you've got to keep moving.' They better. If the Yankees don't keep moving, they'll keep sinking, along with their dream of winning the AL East, all the way to the bottom of Lake Ontario. (Photo of Jazz Chisholm Jr. and George Springer: Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images)
CTV News
a day ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Bo Bichette's two-run homer caps Blue Jays' wild 8-4 win over rival Yankees
Toronto Blue Jays' Ernie Clement, right, hits an RBI single off New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried (54) in fourth inning MLB baseball game action in Toronto on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jon Blacker TORONTO — Bo Bichette's two-run homer capped off a wild victory as the Toronto Blue Jays held off the New York Yankees 8-4 on Wednesday. The victory tied the Blue Jays with the Houston Astros for the best record in the American League. Myles Straw's double drove in Ernie Clement for the go-ahead run in the sixth inning as Toronto (60-42) won the three-game series and locked up the tiebreaker between the two AL East rivals. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had an RBI double in the fourth, then drove in two more runs in the fifth on a fielder's choice, as the Blue Jays and Yankees traded leads. Clement's basehit in the fourth also scored a runner and pinch-hitter Will Wagner plated Straw in the sixth. Chris Bassitt (11-4) was solid for 7 1/3 innings, striking out eight and allowing four runs — three earned — on three hits and no walks. Relievers Justin Bruihl and Yariel Rodriguez preserved the win. Aaron Judge's two-run homer in the sixth tied the game 4-4 for New York (56-46), but that lead disappeared in the bottom of the inning thanks to Straw and Wagner's RBIs. Jasson Dominguez had a home run in the second and Anthony Volpe added a solo shot in the fifth. Ace Max Fried (11-4) struggled, giving up five runs — four earned — on six hits and three walks, striking out three over 5 1/3 innings. Jonathan Loaisiga, Scott Effross and JT Brubaker all came out of the visitor's bullpen, with Effross giving up two runs. Takeaways Yankees: The long ball remains the key to success for New York, with all four of its runs coming from homers. The Yankees entered the game with a Major League Baseball-best 162 home runs, five more than the Los Angeles Dodgers. Shohei Ohtani had L.A.'s one homer in its 4-3 win over the Minnesota Twins earlier Wednesday. Blue Jays: Toronto benefited greatly from New York's four errors and other fielding miscues, eking out runs on walks, dropped balls, wild pitches, and overthrows. Bichette's two-run blast — his 13th home run of the year — was the Blue Jays' cleanest score of the game as Guerrero had led off the inning with a double. Key moment Davis Schneider was caught stealing by Yankees catcher J.C. Escarra with one out in the fifth inning. A video replay overturned the call on the field, however. George Springer drew a walk in the next at bat and Guerrero drove them both home when Escarra dropped the ball trying to tag Schneider at the plate. Key stat The Blue Jays expanded their lead in the AL East to four games over New York with the victory. Toronto and the Yankees will play three more times this year but the Blue Jays now have the tiebreaker should they wind up with identical records by the end of the regular season. Up next Eric Lauer (5-2) will take the mound as the Blue Jays begin a four-game series in Detroit. Reese Olson (4-3) gets the start for the AL Central-leading Tigers (60-43). This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025. John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
Associated Press
a day ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Boone says Yankees' defense 'just not good enough' after 4 errors in loss to Blue Jays
TORONTO (AP) — Yankees manager Aaron Boone said his team's defensive performance was 'just not good enough' after New York made four errors in an 8-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night. 'We've got to, obviously, tighten it up,' Boone said. 'Confident we will. We'll continue to work at it. We have good defenders here, but tonight was obviously a rough night for us.' Left-hander Max Fried and second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. made throwing errors, while first baseman Ben Rice and outfielder Jasson Domínguez made fielding errors. The Yankees also made several miscues that didn't count as errors, including Cody Bellinger losing a flyball in the twilight and no one covering the plate after Fried's errant throw in the fifth inning. 'Today was a little shaky,' Bellinger said. Davis Schneider scored from third base when Fried bounced his throw home on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s chopper. 'Tough angle and just not a good throw,' said Fried, a three-time Gold Glove winner with Atlanta. George Springer scored from second base after the ball rolled away from catcher J.C. Escarra. The Yankees made seven errors in the three-game series, including a pair of poor throws that led to runs for Toronto in Monday's series opener, a 4-1 Blue Jays win. 'We haven't been playing that well on defense,' slugger Aaron Judge said. 'We've got a lot of things we've got to clean up.' New York also struggled defensively while getting swept in four games at Toronto from June 30 to July 3 as the Blue Jays leapfrogged the Yankees atop the AL East. 'Obviously, we've had two (crummy) series up here,' Boone said. 'There's no way around it. Maybe we'll get a chance to come back here at some point and flip that script.' New York has committed 52 errors in 102 games. The Yankees are 41-22 when they play error-free baseball but 15-24 when they make at least one miscue. 'It's in our control so we'll take care of it,' Judge said. ___ AP MLB:
Toronto Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Blue Jays take full advantage of self-imploding Yankees to win season series
Yankees catcher J.C. Escarra cannot handle a Max Fried throw to the plate as Jays baserunner Davis Schneider slides in for a run in the fifth inning on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. Photo by Jon Blacker / THE CANADIAN PRESS Yes, this was an epic act of self-immolation by the error-prone New York Yankees. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account But the Blue Jays would gladly take it — surviving their own error in Judgement (more on that later) — to take a breathtaking three-game set, and the season series, with the Bronx Bombers following Wednesday night's 8-4 victory at another sold-out Rogers Centre. The teams will meet again in the Bronx for a three-game series in early September. Following are three takeaways on a night in which the Yankees outhomered the Jays 3-1, but also committed four of the game's five errors and saw Toronto regain its four-game lead atop the AL East. PITCHING DUEL The rubber match featured a sterling battle of arms, pitting Chris Bassitt and Max Fried, a righty-versus-lefty matchup with Bassitt clearly emerging as the game's best. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. One key difference between the two was the way their teams played behind them. The Jays' defensive gems began when Bassitt faced leadoff hitter Trent Grisham, who was robbed of a hit when Leo Jimenez made a great play at second base. After throwing three perfect innings to start, Fried was his own worst enemy in the fifth when he fielded Vlad Guerrero Jr.'s chopper up the third base line and tried to get Davis Schneider at home. The throw was slightly off its mark and when catcher J.C. Escarra couldn't corral the ball, George Springer raced in behind Schneider for a second run. After the Fried error, then another by outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., right fielder Cody Bellinger failed to locate Clement's routine fly ball with one out in the sixth inning that resulted in a triple and ultimately the Jays retaking the lead, 6-4. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Bassitt was brilliant in his 7.1-inning outing, although all three of the hits he yielded were homers. One of them, Aaron Judge's 37th in the sixth, seemed unnecessary. Man on third, one out with first base open, the Jays, up 4-2, decided to pitch to Judge, who has been routinely issued intentional walks. This time, the Jays decided to pitch to Yankees' mega-star, who sent a ball into straight-away centre for a two-run blast that tied the game. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ALL As has become custom for these Jays, there were several heroes who emerged. After Vladdy had driven in Springer in the fourth to tie the game 1-1, Clement, who has been in a hitting funk of late, came up with the bases loaded and two out and promptly lashed a single to centre to put the Jays ahead 2-1. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Myles Straw did his part, too, following up the Clement misplayed triple with a double down the left field line to plate what turned out to be the winning run. Bo Bichette hit his 13th homer in the seventh to complete the scoring but the Yankees threatened in the eighth when lefty Justin Bruihl — in for Bassitt — gave up back-to-back singles with Judge striding to the plate. The young southpaw got ahead of Judge 1-2, then threw him a sinker that the Yankees star grounded into an inning-ending double play. THE LONG BALL When it comes to home runs, the Jays are not in the same category of the Yankees, who led the majors with 161 long balls heading into the game. The Jays ranked 20th with 105. A contrast in style best illustrates the two AL East rivals. The Jays have hit homers in big moments, but for the most part their offensive DNA consists of striking out far less than every other major-league team and putting the ball in play more often. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Yankees, meanwhile, appear to be reliant on the long ball to produce runs. Need proof? The Yankees out-homered the Jays 7-1 in the series but lost two of three. They scored 10 total runs in three games — every one of them coming on the long ball. Up next To say the Detroit Tigers have not been playing well would be to state the obvious. They return to Comerica Park with their collective tail between their legs having been swept in Pittsburgh in a three-game series that saw the Pirates outscore the Tigers 17-6 … The first game of a four-game set will feature LHP Eric Lauer getting the start for the Jays, while RHP Reese Olson will be on the mound for the Tigers … Thursday's first pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. Sports Canada Golf Toronto Blue Jays Columnists
New York Post
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Yankees defense falls apart in ugly series-losing crusher to Blue Jays
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free TORONTO — The Yankees may never want to come back here again. The entire country will likely welcome them back with open arms, though, given how generous they are in giving away free outs. With a chance to claim the series against the team they are trailing in the AL East, the Yankees put together one last slopfest of a loss in Rogers Centre, which has become a house of horrors for them over the past three weeks. They tried to hit enough home runs to wipe away the stench, but three straight innings with at least one error were too much to overcome as the Yankees fell to the Blue Jays 8-4 in front of another sellout crowd of 42,143 that delighted in all their miscues. The final tally was four errors, enough to sink the Yankees (56-46) yet again as their defense kicked the ball around for most of the night and allowed the Blue Jays (60-42) to end the night leading the division by four games. The only bit of good news for the Yankees, on a night when manager Aaron Boone and pitching coach Matt Blake were ejected for arguing balls and strikes, was that they are done playing north of the border this season after going 1-6 here. The only way they would have to come back is if they meet the Blue Jays in October, though in order to get there, the Yankees will have to clean up their game in a big way. The brutal defensive performance came on the heels of the Yankees committing two errors (which led to a pair of runs) in Monday's loss and survived another error (that led to two more runs) in Tuesday's win. Across their seven games here, the Yankees racked up a mind-numbing 11 errors. 4 Max Fried walks back to the mound after making a two-run throwing error in the fifth inning of the Yankees' 8-4 loss to the Blue Jays on July 23, 2025. Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images On Wednesday, it all began to unravel in the bottom of the fifth inning, right after Anthony Volpe's solo homer had tied the game 2-2. Max Fried, pitching for the first time in 11 days because of a blister on his left index finger, issued back-to-back one-out walks before Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a chopper down the third base line. Fried, who has fielded his position incredibly well this season, raced to field it, but then got off an awkward throw home that catcher J.C. Escarra could not handle. 4 First baseman Ben Rice is unable to handle Jazz Chisholm's throw allow Vladimir Guerrero (right) to advance to second base in the fifth inning of the Yankees' loss to the Blue Jays. Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images The ball trickled away and allowed both runs to score safely to put the Blue Jays up 4-2. Aaron Judge's two-run homer temporarily tied the game again in the top of the sixth before the Yankees let it go. With one out, Ernie Clement skied a fly ball to right field that the sure-handed Cody Bellinger lost in the lights, turning it into a free triple. 4 Aaron Judge celebrates in the dugout with teammates after belting a two-run homer in the sixth inning of the Yankees' loss to the Blue Jays. AP Boone visited the mound but left Fried — whose left pinky had begun to bleed — in the game to face Myles Straw, who roped a double into the left field corner to make it a 5-4 game. Jonathan Loáisiga entered the game and got the second out, before Will Wagner hit a ground ball to first base that Ben Rice could not backhand cleanly, allowing another run to score. Then in the seventh, Guerrero led off with a single to left field that bounced past Domínguez's sidesaddle attempt, the error allowing Guerrero to take second. 4 Myles Straw hits the go-ahead double in the sixth inning of the Blue Jays' win over the Yankees. Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Domínguez's throw there nearly turned into another error, as Jazz Chisholm Jr. nonchalantly tried to scoop it, only to knock it away, though it was not quite far enough for Guerrero to take third. Bo Bichette then clobbered a two-run homer off Scott Effross that made it an 8-4 game.
