Rookie Trey Yesavage to Start for Blue Jays in World Series Opener
Toronto’s rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage will make his first World Series start when the Blue Jays face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday at Rogers Centre.
Yesavage has been impressive in the postseason, posting a 2-1 record with a 4.20 ERA and 22 strikeouts in three starts. He notably dominated the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Division Series, striking out 11 batters over 5 1/3 no-hit innings.
After a tough outing in a loss against Seattle during Game 2 of the AL Championship Series, Yesavage rebounded in Game 6, helping the Blue Jays stave off elimination. “It’s something I never even would have dreamed of,” Yesavage said Thursday. “But I’m here now and I’m embracing it fully.”
The Dodgers will counter with left-hander Blake Snell, who has been dominant in the playoffs with a 3-0 record, a 0.86 ERA, and 28 strikeouts across three appearances.
This marks Toronto’s first appearance in the MLB championship series since their back-to-back titles in 1993, while Los Angeles enters as the defending champions. Both teams were set to finalize their 26-player rosters on Friday morning.
The status of Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette, sidelined for over six weeks with a knee sprain, remained uncertain ahead of the series. Manager John Schneider said Bichette “is feeling good, which is nice,” but noted there are still a few steps to complete before confirming his availability.
Toronto finished the regular season with a 94-68 record, securing home-field advantage over the Dodgers, who ended at 93-69. Los Angeles advanced after sweeping Cincinnati in the wild-card series, defeating Philadelphia 3-1 in the NLDS, and sweeping Milwaukee in the NLCS.
The Dodgers’ lineup is led by two-way star Shohei Ohtani, NLCS MVP, along with key hitters Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and former Blue Jays slugger Teoscar Hernandez. Schneider emphasized that, despite the Dodgers’ strength, his team will focus on their own game plan. “That is a beatable baseball team that has its flaws, and that has its really, really good strengths,” he said.
For the Blue Jays, ALCS MVP Vladimir Guerrero Jr. leads a potent lineup that excels at putting the ball in play while limiting strikeouts. Guerrero is hitting .442 in the postseason with six home runs, 12 RBIs, and a 1.440 OPS. The team’s balanced offensive attack, anchored by Guerrero, George Springer, and Alejandro Kirk, has allowed them to maintain a high level of performance throughout the playoffs.
Toronto currently ranks among MLB leaders with 20 home runs in the postseason, and the team boasts a .296 batting average and .878 OPS. Schneider expressed confidence in his squad: “I’ll put this group of 26 up against anybody. They’re looking forward to taking on what is on paper the best team in baseball.”
Workouts were scheduled for both teams on Thursday at Rogers Centre. Toronto plans to start right-hander Kevin Gausman in Game 2, while the Dodgers are expected to go with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. After an off-day on Sunday, the series will shift to Dodger Stadium for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
Los Angeles aims to become the first team to repeat as champions since the Yankees’ three-peat from 1998-2000. The Dodgers have won the World Series eight times in franchise history.
