Trey Yesavage began the 2025 season pitching for Class-A Dunedin, throwing in front of 327 people in his pro baseball debut on April 8.
On Friday, he’ll be pitching on baseball’s biggest stage.
One day after a brief meeting in manager John Schneider’s office, the Toronto Blue Jays named Yesavage as their Game 1 starter of the World Series on Thursday. He’ll oppose two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers in Toronto.
TREY. DAY.
Trey Yesavage starts Game One of the World Series! #WANTITALL pic.twitter.com/8i4lymotS6
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) October 23, 2025
At 22 years and 88 days, Yesavage will be the second-youngest pitcher to start Game 1 in World Series history. Only Ralph Branca, pitching for the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers, was younger at 21 years and 267 days.
“Pretty much called me into his office, said they had faith in me to run me out there in the first game, and I was fired up,” Yesavage said of how he got the news. “Got up, hugged him, hugged (pitching coach) Pete (Walker). I was very excited.”
Yesavage is not spending any time pouring over data or hot zones for the potent offense of the Dodgers, fearing he might kickstart a thought process he won’t be able to turn off mid-game.
“I’m pretty meat and potatoes with it. Just keep it basic,” he said Thursday of his pregame prep for Friday’s start on a global stage. “I don’t want to be out there on the mound thinking too much because for me, I’m at best when I’m just black dead out there and not thinking at all.”
Yesavage was selected by the Blue Jays in the first round (No. 20 overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft from East Carolina.
He played at every level of the Blue Jays’ system in 2025, moving from Dunedin to High-A Vancouver to Double-A New Hampshire to Triple-A Buffalo. He had a combined record of 5-1 with a 3.12 ERA in 25 games (22 starts) at the minor-league levels, striking out 160 batters in 98 innings.
After his September call-up by the Blue Jays, Yesavage started three regular-season games and was 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA. In three postseason starts, he has a 2-1 record, a 4.20 ERA and 22 strikeouts to seven walks in 15 innings.
He was masterful in the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees. He pitched 5 1/3 no-hit innings, striking out 11 and walking one batter to earn the win in Game 2.
His counterpart, Snell, was 5-4 with a 2.35 ERA in just 11 starts in an injury-marred debut season in Los Angeles. The 32-year-old, however, is playing at full strength.
In three postseason starts this October, Snell is 3-0 with an ERA of 0.86. He has given up two runs on six hits and five walks in 21 innings with 28 strikeouts.
–Field Level Media