TORONTO — Because the Yankees held their breath once more on Juan Soto on Saturday afternoon, they put collectively an uninspiring efficiency with out him.
An evening after scoring a season-high 16 runs, the Yankees fell again to earth with a 9-3 loss to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre whereas Soto underwent imaging on his bruised proper hand.
Soto, a late scratch from the lineup, returned to the dugout round mid-game however may solely watch because the Yankees (53-32) had been principally shut down by Chris Bassitt and the Blue Jays bullpen.
Nestor Cortes gave up three runs throughout 4 ¹/₃ inefficient innings earlier than the Blue Jays (38-44) broke the sport open within the sixth inning in opposition to relievers Phil Bickford and Caleb Ferguson.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (3-for-5, six RBIs) and former Yankee Isiah Kiner-Falefa (4-for-5, three runs) led the cost because the Yankees received smacked round once more.
That they had not allowed greater than eight runs in any of their first 65 video games however have now completed so seven instances of their final 20 video games, together with 4 of their final 5.
Bassitt held the Yankees to only one unearned run throughout six innings earlier than Austin Wells ripped a two-run dwelling run within the ninth off reliever Jose Cuas.
The Yankees, who misplaced for the tenth time of their final 13 video games, will now attempt to earn a break up of the four-game collection on Sunday to keep away from dropping their fifth straight collection.
For the tenth straight recreation, the Yankees fell behind first.
That they had an opportunity to attain within the prime of the primary, which included Aaron Decide drilling a 101.6 mph line drive off Bassitt that left a large welt on his proper forearm.
However Ben Rice — batting second for Soto — was thrown out at third on a double-steal try with Gleyber Torres on the plate to finish the inning.
Then within the backside of the body, Guerrero took Cortes deep for a two-run shot, his third dwelling run in as many video games this collection.
Cortes threw a cutter on the skin edge and Guerrero went the opposite manner with it for the 2-0 lead.
Rice doubled with two outs within the third inning — the primary extra-base hit of his massive league profession — however the Blue Jays responded by deliberately strolling Decide.
The plan labored to perfection as Bassitt received Alex Verdugo to come out to finish the menace.
The Blue Jays padded their lead within the backside of the fourth as Yankees-killer Alejandro Kirk roped an RBI double to attain Justin Turner, who had led off with a double, to make it 3-0.
The harm stopped there, although, as Torres made a superb diving seize to his proper on a line drive with the infield in, then threw to 3rd to double off George Springer and finish the inning.
The Yankees acquired one other temporary scare within the prime of the fifth, when Anthony Volpe was shaken up after showing to jam his proper foot on first base attempting to leg out a floor ball.
The throw was excessive, permitting Volpe to achieve safely, and after being tended to by supervisor Aaron Boone and a coach, he remained within the recreation.
Later within the inning, with Volpe at third and two outs, the Blue Jays opted to pitch to Decide and he made them pay, taking pictures a single up the center to trim the deficit to 3-1.
The Blue Jays iced the sport within the sixth, loading the bases off Bickford earlier than Guerrero cleared them with a three-run double to make it 8-1.
