Kirk shines in return as Jays overpower Yankees 8-5

TORONTO — Kazuma Okamoto and George Springer clubbed early two-run homers, and catcher Alejandro Kirk made a triumphant return with three hits and two RBIs in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 8-5 series-opening win against the New York Yankees on Friday.

With the win, the Blue Jays (34-36) halted the Yankees’ (41-27) four-game win streak.

The 41,596 at Rogers Centre gave the cleanup hitter Kirk a standing ovation before his first at-bat since missing 62 games with a fractured left thumb.

He then doubled to the left-field gap to score Ernie Clement. Okamoto followed with his team-leading 14th homer, a 423-foot blast into the 500 level in left field for a 3-0 first-inning lead.

Springer hit a two-run homer in the second inning. In the fifth, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled to bring home Springer, followed by Kirk singling to drive in Guerrero. Kirk also singled in the third and walked in the seventh.

Toronto starter Trey Yesavage (3-3) left after allowing two runners to start the sixth, who later scored on a Trent Grisham single off reliever Mason Fluharty. Yesavage allowed five runs on four hits with six walks, three strikeouts, and he gave up a two-run homer to Cody Bellinger in the fifth.

Louis Varland registered his 12th save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Lefty Ryan Weathers (2-5) lasted only 4 1/3 innings for the Yankees. He allowed six runs on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

TAKEAWAYS

Blue Jays: To make room for Kirk, Tyler Heineman was designated for assignment. Davis Schneider also returned from triple-A Buffalo and started in left field. Daulton Varsho was placed on the injured list with wrist inflammation.

Yankees: In the spirit of the FIFA World Cup, the visitors kicked around a soccer ball in the outfield during batting practice. The Canada/Bosnia-Herzegovina game was also broadcast on the Jumbotron before the game.

KEY MOMENT

Springer hustled to score from first on Clement’s bloop double down the right-field line for an insurance run in the eighth.

KEY STAT
The Yankees have gone 5-4 in Aaron Judge’s absence with a rib injury that will keep him out four to six weeks.

UP NEXT

Toronto’s Kevin Gausman (4-4) will face Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler (7-2) in the middle outing of the three-game series on Saturday.

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