The Blue Jays are hanging right on the edge of the AL Wild Card picture, and they may be about to get a useful arm back just in time for the push.
Toronto sits one game behind the Guardians for the final Wild Card spot after both teams won today. The Jays also took the season series from Cleveland, four games to two, which means they now have 12 games left to at least match the Guardians’ regular-season record and sneak into the postseason.
That backdrop makes Trey Yesavage’s progress worth watching closely. The 23-year-old right-hander threw a 30-pitch bullpen session at Rogers Centre this morning and then went through some light fielding work.
Pitching coach Pete Walker said Yesavage “ looked great ” and the next step is a rehab start with Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. If that outing goes smoothly, manager John Schneider said via Hazel Mae of Sportsnet that Yesavage could be back in the Majors on Sunday or Monday next week, “ most likely Monday, ” according to manager John Schneider (via Hazel Mae of Sportsnet).
Yesavage’s season has been interrupted by two separate IL trips, which kept him from building a full workload. He opened the year on the 15-day IL because of a right shoulder impingement and didn’t make his season debut until April 28.
His current stint, for left knee inflammation, began on August 5. When that happened, Toronto was 54-61 and three games out of a Wild Card spot, with five teams separating them from the Rangers.
Since then, the Jays have ripped off a 21-11 stretch in 32 games, fueled by a resurgent offense and the continued dominance of Dylan Cease.
When he’s been on the mound, Yesavage has given Toronto solid results. He owns a 3.65 ERA in 18 starts.
His 23.6% strikeout rate sits a little above average, and he’s been effective at keeping the ball off the barrel, limiting opponents to a 34.0% hard-hit rate that ranks in the 82nd percentile according to Statcast. The numbers aren’t spotless, though.
His walk rate and ground-ball rate are both worse than average, while his 4.58 SIERA and opponents’ .215 batting average on balls in play point to some good fortune along the way.
Even so, the results have been good enough, and Toronto would love to have him available for the stretch run. If Tuesday’s rehab start goes well, Yesavage could be built up to around 60 pitches for Monday the 21st against the Orioles.
He could add a few more pitches if he starts the regular-season finale on September 27. That would leave him in position to be close to a full workload if the Jays catch the Guardians and reach the playoffs.
Cease already got the ball today and delivered five innings of one-run ball in a win. With two off days left before the end of the regular season, Toronto could keep him on a five-day schedule if the race stays tight, lining him up to start on the 18th and again on the 23rd. That would place him in position for Game 1 of the Wild Card Series on September 29.
José Soriano is locked into the playoff rotation, which leaves the third start in a short series to one of Yesavage, Max Scherzer, and Spencer Arrighetti. Of that group, Yesavage has posted the best regular season, so he could end up getting the nod.
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