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Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
That was a big yes for Trey Yesavage.
The 22-year-old pitcher who electrified fans during the playoffs and World Series last year, had a sensational first start of the season on Tuesday in the Blue Jays’ 3-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
Yesavage, who was activated off the injured list earlier in the day, scattered four hits over 5 1/3rd innings, struck out three and did not issue any walks.
He did not pitch during spring training because of soreness in his pitching shoulder and only made his last rehabilitation start in the minor leagues last week.
With such limited activity he could not have been expected to pitch any better than he did before a sellout crowd at Rogers Centre. He received a standing ovation when he left the game.
“I’m very happy with the performance,” Yesavage said, before adding: “These fans are great and I am very blessed to play in front of them.”
Blue Jays’ arsenal of arms
Kazuma Okamoto had a two-run single in the third inning to put Toronto ahead and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had an RBI single in the fifth. He went 2-for-3 on the night.
Four relievers threw 3 2/3rds no-hit innings and Louis Varland picked up his fourth save in as many chances when he struck out the side in the ninth.
Jeff Hoffman, who lost the job as closer to Varland, pitched a perfect seventh with two strikeouts.
“They were all phenomenal tonight,” John Schneider said of his bullpen’s performance.
The triumph leaves the Blue Jays in position to win their third series in a row on Wednesday afternoon with another victory. They had not yet announced their starting pitcher as of late Tuesday. The Red sox will go with right-hander Brayan Bello (1-3).
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Blue Jays manager John Schneider takes the ball as he pulls Yesavage from the game during the fifth inning.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
Toronto improved to 13-16 with its sixth win in the last nine contests. After Wednesday it travels to Minnesota for a four-game matchup with the Twins.
Yesavage worked out of a first-and-third pickle in the second inning but was fully in command after that.
Lefty Payton Tolle (0-1) took the loss. He lasted 4 2/3rds and gave up four hits and all three runs, walked four and struck out four.
Yesavage made a remarkable ascent through the Blue Jays’ minor league system in 2025, pitching for all four of the club’s affiliates before he was called up to the big leagues on Sept. 15.
He was added to the postseason roster and was superb. His 39 strikeouts in five postseason starts (and six appearances) are the most ever by a rookie in a single postseason in major league history. He became the first rookie with multiple 10-plus strikeout games in a single postseason, and the only pitcher ever to record his first two double-digit strikeout games in the playoffs.
He also became the first rookie to strike out 12 hitters in a World Series game, and the first pitcher in MLB history to punch out at least 12 batters with no walks in a World Series outing.
“The route he took and the way he handled it showed me how confident he is,” Schneider said beforehand. “I think he has a chance to be really good and this will be a good kick-start to the season.”
Schneider was as surprised as everybody by his postseason heroics.
“When we called him up, it wasn’t on my bingo card that he was going to pitch in the playoffs or the World Series,” the manager said. “It wasn’t like I was waiting all year for Trey Yesavage.”
Patrick Corbin did not know much about Yesavage until last year’s playoffs. The left-hander watched the games on television after pitching for the Texas Rangers in 2025.
“Sometimes you learn something about somebody from a situation like that,” Corbin, 36, said. “At 22, you could see he could handle it.”
Said reliever Tommy Nance: “We are all happy to have him back. It would have been nice to have him from the start, but it is going to be fun to watch.”
Toronto went ahead 2-0 in the third on a single to left by Okamoto. The one-hop line drive off the wall scored Andrés Giménez, who had singled to centre, and Guerrero, who had doubled to left. Okamoto was thrown out at a second trying to stretch it into a two-bagger.
José Berríos was to pitch for Class-AAA Buffalo on Monday night and, depending on how well it goes, could be brought up to Toronto next week. Berríos has been sidelined with a hairline fracture in his right (pitching) elbow since spring training.
George Springer was expected to run the bases on Tuesday and if he came out of it feeling fine he could return to the roster in time for Wednesday’s contest versus the Red sox.
Springer has been on the injured list with a fractured left big toe.
Outfielder Jesús Sánchez has never batted against Yesavage and is glad.
“He throws from a weird angle, and every pitch either looks like a strike and becomes a ball, or looks like a ball and suddenly becomes a strike,” he said. “A guy like him is going to help us a lot.”
