Blue Jays Pitching Notes: Trey Yesavage Returns, Jose Berrios Begins Rehab
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It was a good night to be a Toronto Blue Jays fan as the team tied the series with the Boston Red Sox, but there is a lot more to the story than what the box score showed.
One of those most highly anticipated starts in baseball this season has finally come and gone as young gun Trey Yesavage returned to the mound for the first time since last season's Fall Classic for the Blue Jays.
Yesavage's first start of the season led to a Blue Jays win, but there was plenty more to the story than just his removal from the injured list, as the relievers came through in a big way and have been since the closer position has swapped hands.
Then, there is one pitcher on the forefront of manager John Schneider's mind as he is closest to returning to the rotation — Jose Berrios. Berrios made his next rehab outing, but after his game in Triple-A, he might not be quite ready to come back.
Yesavage Against the Red Sox
Watching Yesavage pitch is a thing of beauty. It might be the different arm angle, the composure, command, power or in all likelihood, the combination of the four. It is unfathomable that he is only entering his rookie season, but here he is.
In his debut, Yesavage picked up right where he left off during the World Series as he didn't allow a run in his 5.1 innings, didn't walk a batter, and retired three. With a strict pitch count, Schneider pulled him in the sixth even though Yesavage tried to shrug him off.
A breath of fresh air for the Jays that have been plagued by injuries.
Good Things From Blue Jays Bullpen
It is never ideal for a player to be demoted, but Jeff Hoffman has been taking it in stride after sliding out of the role as closer. Since stepping out of his normal role, Hoffman has been excellent as he has pitched a pair of innings without allowing a run.
There isn't enough time or space on a page to talk about Louis Varland and what he is doing for the 'pen. Varland piggybacked off of Hoffman's performance in the inning before his, as the two were both elite in the Jays' 3-0 victory.
Louis Varland's First 15 Games of 2026:
— Chris Black (@DownToBlack) April 29, 2026
16 IP, 1 run, 4 saves, 26 strikeouts, 4 walks pic.twitter.com/3TRhwoGkMF
Hoffman only needed 10 pitches (eight strikes) to get out of his inning, while Varland retired the side in the top of the ninth on 15 pitches.
A Rocky Start From Berrios
While Yesavage was pitching at Rogers Centre, Berrios was down in Triple-A for his next rehab start, and it could easily lead to him taking the mound once more in the minors before rejoining the roster.
His final stat line in four innings was:
- 5 Earned Runs
- 2 Homers
- 5 Hits
- 2 Walks
- 2 Strikeouts
Berrios ended up throwing 70 pitches, and his fastball sat around 92 MPH. On normal circumstances, he would make another start, but the starting rotation is bleeding with injuries right now, so he might come back earlier.
Regardless if Berrios comes off the IL for his next start, or not, the Blue Jays have a lot of positive news regarding the pitching staff right now. The team is under .500, but as bodies get healthy, they will be right back in it.
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Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.