‘Built for this’: Rookie Trey Yesavage to start ALDS Game 2 for Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage (39) works against the Tampa Bay Rays during fifth inning MLB baseball action in Toronto on Saturday September 27, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays have carefully managed Trey Yesavage’s innings and pitch counts across five levels of professional baseball in one season all leading up to this one moment.

Yesavage will be Toronto’s starting pitcher for Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Sunday against the New York Yankees. It will be just the fourth start of the rookie’s Major League Baseball career after he was promoted to the Blue Jays as a September call-up.

“I’ve experienced a lot this year. This is my fifth team I’ve been with. I’ve met the entire organization,” laughed Yesavage on Saturday after his scheduled start was announced. “But being here in this spot, I couldn’t have drawn it up any better.”

Yesavage began the season with single-A Dunedin of the Florida Complex League before moving on to the Vancouver Canadians of the High-A Northwest League. He then pitched for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats before a promotion to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

Finally, the 22-year-old Yesavage made his big league debut for Toronto on Sept. 15, earning a no decision in the Blue Jays’ 2-1 win in Tampa Bay against the Rays.

Yesavage had a 5-1 record over 22 starts and 25 appearances with a 3.63 earned-run average across all four levels of the minor leagues. Perhaps most impressive was his 160 strikeouts over 98 innings pitched in the minors.

He hasn’t let up in three starts for the Blue Jays, earning a win with a 3.21 ERA and 16 strikeouts over 14 innings of work.

“I feel like I’m at the top of my game right now, which is exactly what this organization wanted,” said Yesavage shortly after his first MLB post-season start was announced. “They monitored my innings and pitch count so I’m at my best come October.”

Yesavage’s rapid rise through the Blue Jays’ minor-league system puts him in select company.

He’s just the 10th player across all of baseball to pass through all four full-season levels and reach the big leagues in a single year since 2005. He was also the first Blue Jay from the 2024 draft class to reach the majors.

“From what he’s done, I think from talking with him and watching how he’s responded to being here,” said Toronto manager John Schneider on what went into the decision to start Yesavage. “Talking to him and getting a pretty good feel of his pulse.

“I think having him pitch here as opposed to what will be a hostile environment in New York plays into it a little bit.”

Thirteen-year veteran Kevin Gausman started for the Blue Jays in Game 1 on Saturday. Shane Bieber, a two-time all-star and the AL’s Cy Young winner in 2020, will start Game 3 on Tuesday in New York.

Yesavage was a collegiate standout for the East Carolina Pirates. He was with East Carolina when the Pirates won an NCAA regional championship in 2022 and appeared in the NCAA tournaments in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

He said that playing at the highest levels of NCAA baseball is “kind of the same” as playing in the MLB.

“Having to go out there and perform at your best to help your team win a championship,” said Yesavage. “At the end of the day, you have the same goal. It’s to win.

“Granted, there’s going to be a lot more fans here, and there’s going to be a lot more energy surrounding this place, but I’m built for this.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2025.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press