Blue Jays Rout Yankees, Narrow AL East Gap

The New York Yankees lost 12-5 to the Toronto Blue Jays on Canada Day, narrowing their AL East lead to just one game over Toronto and Tampa Bay. A pivotal seventh inning saw Yankees backup catcher J.C. Escarra called for catcher’s interference for the second straight game, extending the inning for Ernie Clement's go-ahead RBI single, followed by George Springer's second homer of the day—a grand slam that capped his seven-RBI performance. Defensive errors by Escarra and Jazz Chisholm Jr. contributed to the Yankees’ struggles, while both teams committed errors that led to runs. The Yankees went just 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position and have now lost 12 of their last 18 games, raising concerns about their roster and defensive alignment. With the Blue Jays and Rays closing in, the Yankees are under mounting pressure to address their performance issues. Team leaders continue to express confidence but acknowledge the need for improvement.