Yesavage a pawn in Blue Jays’ chess match

TORONTO – Trey Yesavage has had a lot of firsts in his rookie season with the Toronto Blue Jays. You can add “decoy” to the list.

Yesavage and Blue Jays manager John Schneider admitted that the freshman pitcher was used as a distraction in the decisive Game 4 of the American League Division Series when Toronto eliminated the New York Yankees from the playoffs with a 5-2 victory.

Yesavage and fellow starting pitcher Kevin Gausman walked to the visitors’ bullpen midgame, implying they could come in as relievers to shut down any comeback New York might mount.

“When I was walking down there, I was trying not to smile. I was trying to act locked in,” said Yesavage on Sunday ahead of Game 1 of the AL Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners.

“I was told that you guys (reporters) were going to find out that I was available that day, but I truly wasn’t. It was just a decoy.”

Schneider confirmed on Sunday that Gausman was available to pitch at Yankee Stadium if necessary but Yesavage wasn’t.

It was still a fun experience for the 22-year-old Yesavage, who started the season with the Dunedin Blue Jays of the single-A Florida Complex League, working his way up through four levels of Toronto’s minor-league system before making his big-league debut on Sept. 15.

Yesavage earned a win in his three regular-season starts for the Blue Jays, with 16 strikeouts over 14 innings and a 3.21 earned-run average. He was stellar in his post-season debut on Oct. 5, striking out 11 Yankees over 5 1/3 innings of no-hit baseball as Toronto went on to beat New York 13-7.

Schneider said that Yesavage’s dominant performance is what made the feint even worth trying.

“I don’t know if it affected anything that New York was going to do, but you never know really where the game was going to head,” said Schneider after playfully apologizing to reporters for misleading them.

“So that was a little bit of taking into account what (Yesavage) had done in Game 2 and adding a little bit of theatre to it all.”

Yesavage said he enjoyed sitting in a major-league bullpen as Toronto sent seven relievers to the mound to beat the Yankees and advance to the ALCS.

“I would say it was a little bit more stressful than being in the dugout, just because guys in the bullpen were flying around getting hot every inning,” said Yesavage. “I never heard a phone that loud in my life, the one that rings down there.

“It was a little different than what I’m used to, but it was a cool experience.”

Schneider will put the ball in Yesavage’s hand for real on Monday for Game 2 against the Mariners. Seattle manager Dan Wilson would not name a starter until after Game 1 was complete.

“I’m super excited. I think we all are,” said Blue Jays third baseman Addison Barger. “He’s pretty special to be able to do what he did in the regular season and in the Division Series.

“It’s kind of unrealistic, but he’s been able to do it, and it’s been amazing to watch, and we’re super excited to have him.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2025.

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