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Series Recap: Blue Jays salvage series against Rays with their first walk-off grand slam since 2017
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Photo credit: © Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
May 15, 2026, 13:30 EDTUpdated: May 15, 2026, 13:29 EDT
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At least the Toronto Blue Jays weren’t swept by the Tampa Bay Rays this time.
Earlier this week, the Jays played the Rays for the second time this week, dropping the first two, but winning the series finale thanks to a walk-off home run. In the middle of May, they are now 19-24, well behind the Rays for the division lead.
Monday’s game saw the Rays jump out to a 3-0 lead before the Jays even had a chance to bat. With a runner on third, Jonathan Aranda hit a sacrifice fly. Then with two on, Richie Palacios hit a single that drove in both runners for a 3-0 lead. In the top of the second, Taylor Walls hit an RBI triple, which was followed by an RBI single from Aranda for a 5-0 lead.
The Blue Jays cut into that lead thanks to a one swing of the bat, as Andrés Giménez hit a three-run home run to make it 5-3. However, Brandon Valenzuela made a throwing error in the fourth, allowing Simpson to score. Then in the fifth, Aranda hit a solo home run. In the top of the seventh, Palacios drove in another run with a single.
There was some hope for the Jays in the bottom of the seventh, as Giménez hit his second home run of the day, a two-run home run, but the Jays ultimately fell 8-5, with Kevin Gausman giving up six earned runs over four and two-thirds innings.
Once again, the Jays got off on the wrong foot on Tuesday. Jonny DeLuca hit an RBI double in the top of the first. In the third, Cedric Mullins hit a two-RBI single to give the Rays a 3-0 lead, then Tommy Nance threw a wild pitch with Walls on third, allowing the fourth run to score. To cap off the Rays’ scoring, Ryan Vilade hit his second home run of the season, both against the Jays, to make it 5-0.
Throughout the season, the Jays have shown glimpses of what made them so successful in 2025, and they did just that in the bottom of the seventh. Ernie Clement hit a one-out single, then was cashed in thanks to Jesús Sánchez’s fifth double of the season. 
Valenzuela drew a walk, and Sánchez was cashed in thanks to an RBI single by George Springer. Both Valenzuela and Springer scored after a Yohendrick Piñango double, and an error scored Piñango to tie the game at five.
It was all for naught though. With Mullins serving as the ghost runner in the top of the tenth, Taylor Walls drove him in with a single. Later that inning, Aranda hit a sacrifice fly to make it 7-5. The Rays needed both runs, as the Jays drove in a run in the bottom of the 10th thanks to a sacrifice fly, losing 7-6.
Looking to avoid being swept by the Rays for the second time in May, Dylan Cease was impressive over seven innings of work on Wednesday. However, in his final inning, the Blue Jays’ ace gave up a run to give the Rays a 1-0 lead. Thanks to three consecutive walks, the Blue Jays loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth, but only scored once thanks to a sacrifice fly from Kazuma Okamoto. Daulton Varsho struck out swinging, Myles Straw drew a walk, but Clement flew out.
In the 10th, Ben Williamson hit an RBI single on the second pitch he faced, then stole second. Yandy Díaz also hit an RBI single, as the Rays scored two in the top of the 10th for the second consecutive game.
But this time, the Blue Jays found a way to win. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Okamoto each drew one-out walks, bringing Varsho to plate with the bases loaded. After whiffing on a very high pitch for strike three in his last plate appearance, Varsho drove the ball to the opposite field for the Blue Jays’ first walk-off grand slam since Steve Peace’s walk-off grand slam all the way back in 2017.
The Blue Jays head west down Highway 401 to face the Detroit Tigers for a three-game series over the weekend.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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