Trey Yesavage is set to give the Blue Jays a much-needed rotation boost on Monday, with the right-hander expected to start against the Orioles, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.
Yesavage has been sidelined since early August because of right knee inflammation, but he started a rehab assignment earlier this week and is now lined up to come back. Zwelling reported that the Blue Jays should be able to get a few innings out of him in his return, with swingman Spencer Miles available to help handle the outing if needed. In his only rehab appearance with Triple-A Buffalo, Yesavage threw 34 pitches.
The Blue Jays have been waiting on the young righty for most of the season. A shoulder issue pushed back the start of his year, and the knee injury knocked him out for six weeks.
Even with all that missed time, he’s been effective when healthy enough to take the ball. In 18 starts, Yesavage has posted a 3.65 ERA over 93 2/3 innings, along with a 23.6% strikeout rate.
The walks have remained the problem, though, as he’s issued free passes at an 11.9% clip. That control issue has followed him throughout his pro career, including an 11.3% walk rate in the majors and a 10.5% mark in the minors last year.
His first run in the big leagues was a success, especially in the postseason, but the command has still been a constant wrinkle.
Toronto needs innings wherever it can find them right now. The club has dropped three of four this week and sits on the fringe of the playoff race.
It has two games left against Texas, the team directly ahead of the Blue Jays in the AL Wild Card standings. The Rangers are a game and a half behind the White Sox for the final postseason spot, and Toronto enters Saturday night’s action two and a half games back.
That has forced the Blue Jays to keep improvising on the mound. They’ve used bullpen games on days Dylan Cease, Jose Soriano, and Max Scherzer aren’t starting. On Sunday, the Rangers are expected to send Spencer Arrighetti, Corey Seager and Brandon Nimmo near the top of the lineup.
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For a club with playoff hopes hanging in the balance, every decision carries extra weight, and Schneiders aggressive or unconventional calls are drawing fresh scrutiny because they arrive against the backdrop of ongoing struggles. The question isnt just whether the Blue Jays can play their way back into the race, but whether their managers game management is helping create the path there or adding another layer of frustration. [Read more 🡒]