Top prospect Trey Yesavage dominant in debut as Jays beat Rays

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It’s not often that a big league debut can uproot the excitement of a playoff race, but the Blue Jays found magic and mastery in a 22-year-old right arm that did just that on Monday.

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In a scintillating display, Trey Yesavage brought a tear to the eye of his father, who was among family members in the stands at George Steinbrenner Field and another heap of hope to his newest set of teammates.
In one of the most impressive debuts in Blue Jays history, Yesavage was dominant, striking out nine Tampa Bay Rays hitters in five-plus innings of work.

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It wasn’t just an historic outing by the rookie — setting a franchise strikeout record for a pitcher in his first major-league start — but one that immediately adds a dynamic weapon to the playoff-bound Jays.

All in all, it was quite a show by the 2024 first-round draft pick, the strapping 6-foot-4 right hander who dazzled with his ability to strike out hitters with a dominant splitter. That pitch along brings a potent element of swing and miss humiliation, as it confounded Rays batters.

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After a slightly nervy (and fully understandable) first inning, Yesavage unleashed a brilliant effort in his big league debut, a showcase outing for the young phenom. Using that outlier high release point that whisked him through four minor-league levels at lightning speed, Yesavage pitched well beyond his age and experience.

It helped set the stage for yet another dramatic comeback win, this time a 2-1 extra-innings win that went to 11 innings. Combined with a Yankees loss in Minnesota, the victory boosted the Jays lead in the American League East to five games.

What a night, all around.

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In the beginning, it was all about a kid becoming a man in the big leagues over his five-plus innings of work.

Yesavage’s ability to attack — and yes torment — hitters was on display after he allowed hits to the first two batters he faced. From then on, the big righty didn’t allow a hit until Chandler Simpson, the last batter he faced, touched him for a single to lead off the sixth.

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In between, Yesavage struck out Rays batters, many of them with his splitter and most leaving them to exit the batter’s box looking silly.
Those nine K’s offered a rather dazzling glimpse at what his elite arm can provide down the stretch and in to October.

The stretch that had to wow many in the organization — not to mention Yesavage and his family, who were in attendance — took place from the third into the fourth when he struck out five consecutive Rays hitters.

Big-league debuts come in all shapes and sizes and expectations. For Yesavage, it was certainly a whirlwind 48 hours going from Rochester (with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons) on Saturday to Toronto on Sunday and on his first team charter flight to Tampa later that night.

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Along the way he met his fifth set of new teammates this season (adding to the ones he pitched for in Dunedin, Vancouver, New Hampshire and Buffalo) including some sage advice from a Cy Young Award winner who shares a Blue Jays uniform.

“Just be yourself, throw strikes and get ahead (in the count),” veteran Shane Bieber said of his words of wisdom to Yesavage. “It’s a special thing and nobody can take that away from you, becoming a big league baseball player.

“He seems comfortable and ready to go, so I’m excited to watch, excited for him and his family.”

On all fronts, Yesavage delivered on Monday … and then some.

TREY TAKEAWAY

The debut of the highly-touted rookie probably exceeded expectations given the right-hander’s visual dominance, but it wasn’t a complete surprise.

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Manage John Schneider was emphatic on Sunday when he said that Yesavage’s call-up wasn’t a gratuitous call-up but rather an addition of an elite arm that could have immediate and profound impact.

The next steps, then, will be fascinating. Does he stay in the rotation and gain further confidence in the majors? Or do the Jays tinker with the bullpen?

And if the front office feels Monday’s tour de force was as impressive as it appeared, how will the rotation unfold going forward?
The options are fascinating. The decisions that await? Complicated in a good way.

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QUICK HITS

The Jays finally got a win at Steinbrenner Field, where they were swept over three miserable games in May, when a George Springer single drove in Ernie Clement for the go-ahead run in the 11th inning. The big story beyond Yesavage, however, was the Jays bullpen that allowed just one hit and no runs to grind out a big win. The final hero from that group was Brayden Fisher, who dealt with Rays runners on the corners with nobody out before retiring the next three batters he faced to end two dominant (extra) innings of relief … With Rays starter Joe Boyle matching Yesavage, allowing three hits and no runs in six innings, the Jays finally got on board in the eighth when a sac bunt from Tyler Heineman and sac fly from Andres Gimenez got Ernie Clement across … Yesavage was just the second pitcher in Jays franchise history to make a start the year after being drafted, joining Dave Stieb (1979.)

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