Blue Jays manager John Schneider had good news and bad news for Toronto’s post-season push. Trey Yesavage felt good after a conditioning start with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons and could pitch for the Blue Jays as soon as Sunday in Texas against the Rangers. Schneider said that the rookie’s physical readiness was more important than his stat line for the Bisons after he threw 2/3 of an inning, giving up two hits and two runs, one earned, against the Rochester Red Wings. “Weird outing with, I think, a 12-pitch at-bat. He felt fine,” said Schneider on Wednesday afternoon in his office at Rogers Centre. “I think watching it back, it looked normal, but we’re not putting too much stock into the stats. “I think 34 pitches was good. He’s going to throw a side with us in Texas, and then kind of go from there.” Yesavage has a 5-5 record for Toronto this season with a 3.65 earned-run average over 18 starts. He’s struck out 91 batters over 93 2/3 innings pitched. He had been out after having surgery on his left knee to repair a meniscus injury suffered Aug. 4 against the Houston Astros. Former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber had a setback, however, and will have to delay his next side session. Bieber (5-2) has a 4.37 ERA, striking out 44 over 55 2/3 innings this season. With just 10 games left in the regular season, including Wednesday’s matinee against the Detroit Tigers, Bieber’s runway to return from inflammation of the right teres major muscle is getting very short. Bieber apparently went too hard during a flat-ground throwing session on Tuesday. “He wanted to make sure he was like good, good,” said Schneider. “He’ll need at least two times off the mound before he gets into facing hitters, I think. “Time’s gets a little tight. Math ain’t mathing.” Bieber chose to pick up his US$16 million option, remaining with the Blue Jays for the 2026 season after he was traded by the Cleveland Guardians to Toronto ahead of the 2025 trade deadline. Toronto started play two games back of Cleveland for the third and final wild-card berth in the American League. The Rangers are 1 1/2 games back of Cleveland, half a game up on the Blue Jays. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2026.
