The Toronto Blue Jays could be getting one of their most important pitchers back sooner rather than later.
After a successful outing at single-A Dunedin on Thursday night, right-hander Trey Yesavage is expected to make "one more minor-league start" before the team determines the next steps in his eventual return, manager John Schneider told reporters Friday.
According to Schneider, his next outing is expected to take place sometime in the middle of next week, with the weather set to determine the location and minor-league level.
Yesavage is expected to throw closer to 70 pitches after topping out at 52 on Thursday.
Despite not having the cleanest showing on Thursday, Schneider mentioned that the team got "very good reports" on the 22-year-old. He finished his second rehab start, allowing four runs while striking out six and walking one over 2.2 innings with the class-A side.
All four of the runs Yesavage allowed in the outing came on singles. He threw 34 of his 52 pitches for strikes, induced 10 whiffs and topped out at 96.1 m.p.h. with his four-seam fastball.
Yesavage's first start was on April 3, starting the 30-day clock on his rehab assignment. He opened the season on the injured list due to a shoulder impingement.
A player may be assigned to a minor-league club for injury rehabilitation while remaining on the major-league injured list for a maximum of 30 days.
During his first season of professional baseball in 2025, Yesavage rocketed through all four levels of the Blue Jays' minor-league system before making his debut in the majors on Sept. 15.
He broke the Blue Jays franchise record for strikeouts in a major-league debut with nine and proceeded to be a key contributor to Toronto's World Series run.
Yesavage had a 3.58 ERA over six post-season appearances — five of them starts — striking out 39 batters over 27.2 innings and walking 11. This included an 11-strikeout, no-hit performance over 5.1 innings against the Yankees in the ALDS and a record-breaking 12-strikeout start against the Dodgers in Game 5 of the Fall Classic.
The Blue Jays' rotation is in desperate need of reinforcements, as Jose Berrios (right elbow stress fracture), Shane Bieber (right elbow inflammation), and Cody Ponce (ACL sprain) are all currently on the IL, along with Yesavage.
Schneider mentioned that Berrios threw a two-up live batting practice on Friday and "felt good," getting up to 94-95 m.p.h. He's likely to make a minor-league appearance for the next step in his recovery.
Additionally, Bieber and reliever Yimi Garcia (elbow) are expected to begin throwing off the mound on Saturday.
Veteran signing Patrick Corbin is scheduled to start the Blue Jays' series opener against the Twins on Friday.
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