Blue Jays rally comes up short vs. Rays a year after Toronto led MLB in comeback wins

Tampa Bay Rays' Ryan Vilade (right) celebrates his solo home run as Toronto Blue Jays catcher Brandon Valenzuela (59) looks on during seventh inning MLB baseball action in Toronto on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays had 49 comeback wins in 2025, the most in all of Major League Baseball. This year, they’ve been coming up short.

Toronto erased a five-run deficit in the seventh inning but still fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 7-6 in 10 innings on Tuesday after Taylor Walls’s base hit scored Cedric Mullins and Jonathan Aranda’s sacrifice fly cashed in Walls. Although Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in George Springer for the Blue Jays in the bottom of the 10th, it wasn’t enough.

Manager John Schneider said the five-run seventh gave him hope that Toronto could regain last year’s form or, better yet, not fall behind to begin with.

“It worked out where you’ve got some guys coming in off the bench and having good at bats, but you want to try to start that way,” said Schneider in his post-game news conference. “I’ve said it before, we’re kind of like marathon runners, and you want to turn into some sprinters here and get out to a lead, you know?

“It’s a tough team to claw back against, when they get a lead with their pitching staff, and we did a good job of that.”

Pinch-hitter Jesus Sanchez had an RBI double for the Blue Jays first run in the seventh and then Springer scored him with a single. Yohendrick Pinango, who also came off the bench, had a two-run double in the next at bat before Guerrero tied the game 5-5 when he reached first base on an error, giving Pinango enough time to cross home.

Still, Toronto fell to 3-19 in games where they trail after six innings and 8-14 when their opponents score first.

“From the get go, if you can push some runs across early, (it gives the game) a little bit of a different feel,” said Schneider. “Everyone doesn’t feel like they have to play perfect, pitch perfect, all that kind of stuff.”

Patrick Corbin limited the Rays to three runs despite giving up nine hits and a walk over 4 1/3 innings. He struck out one. Tommy Nance, Jeff Hoffman, Tyler Rogers, Louis Varland and Braydon Fisher (2-1) came on in relief.

It was the first loss of 25-year-old Fisher’s career. He made his debut last season and has a 9-1 record over 72 2/3 innings.

“It’s tough when you come back from five down there to tie it up and then not get it done there late,” said Corbin. “But we’re just playing a hot, really hot team right now.

“We’ve just got to come tomorrow and try to at least get one (win) out of here.”

Dylan Cease (3-1) takes the ball on Wednesday as Toronto hopes to avoid the three-game sweep. Griffin Jax (1-2) will take the mound for Tampa Bay.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 12, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press