DUNEDIN, Fla. – As details emerge about Trey Yesavage’s spring schedule, it’s becoming clear that the Blue Jays are being especially deliberate when it comes to the 22-year-old starter after he emerged as a star during the 2025 playoffs.
While it’s still possible Yesavage will be stretched out to five-plus innings by the time the regular season opens March 27, the Blue Jays are also considering scenarios where he’s used for three or four innings at a time as a way to ease into the season.
“It’s more in discussion,” manager John Schneider said Saturday morning. “I think (five-plus innings) would be the best outcome. But we’re really trying to be aware of what he did last year and how different it was compared to any off-season let alone the one he had before that, which was basically the longest off-season of his career followed by the shortest one. We’ll see how much we can get him built up to and go from there.”
Yesavage faced live hitters again Friday, and he’ll likely do so again before making his Grapefruit League debut. There are no health concerns for the 2024 first-round pick, but the Blue Jays want to be intentional with the workload of a pitcher who threw 139.2 total innings last year (98 in the minors, 14 in the regular season and 27.2 in the post-season).
“He’s checking every box and probably chomping at the bit a little,” Schneider said.
One way or another, the Blue Jays were likely to manage Yesavage’s workload at some point this season and they may elect to do so sooner rather than later. If Yesavage is available for only three or four innings and perhaps 45-60 pitches to start the season, that could mean the Blue Jays pair him with another pitcher, perhaps Eric Lauer, so as not to over-tax the bullpen.
As of Saturday, there are no plans to have Yesavage start the season at triple-A, though. If he’s healthy, he’ll be pitching for the Blue Jays.
“We think he’s proven that he belongs on the team,” Schneider said. “I think it’s just making sure that he’s ready to have a normal-ish workload.”
“As long as Trey is built up to the point where we’re comfortable, he’s going to be on our team,” the manager added. “I don’t think it’s one of those where it’s ‘go to Buffalo and build up’ by any means. He’s in the rotation, it’s just checking every box.”
