Blue Jays Manager Offers Encouraging Updates on Two Young Pitchers
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Starting pitching depth is not a problem for the Toronto Blue Jays, although even having eight viable starters in the fold does not leave them immune to worrying about injuries. Bowden Francis (UCL surgery) has already been lost for the season, while Shane Bieber won't be ready for the start of the 2026 season.
Just like that, pitching depth becomes challenged, and health and availability of the remaining hurlers become that much more important.
So, it was with some relief that the Blue Jays got encouraging updates related to the progress of two of their young pitchers. As reported by MLB.com reporter Keegan Matheson, manager John Schneider announced that Trey Yesavage would pitch in a minor league game at the team's complex, while prospect Ricky Tiedemann is set to resume throwing after being shut down due to elbow soreness.
Schneider's updates on the 22-year-old Yesavage and the 23-year-old Tiedemann offer some cautious optimism for a pair of young pitchers who hope to carve out significant roles in Toronto for the 2026 season.
Yesavage is Working His Way Back After 2025 Breakout
Yesavage isn't dealing with any known injuries, but the Blue Jays are rightfully taking every precaution with their prized rookie after his 2025 big league arrival and record-breaking breakout performance as a postseason hero. After making three regular season starts down the stretch and tacking on six playoff appearances, he wound up tossing 139.2 combined innings across all levels last year.
Here, Toronto is taking full advantage of their pitching depth to help them develop Yesavage the right way. Sure, they could rush him along to offset the loss of Francis and the absence of Bieber, but they also know that they have Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Cody Ponce, Jose Berrios, Max Scherzer and Eric Lauer to lean on.
By limiting Yesavage's pitch count and deliberately slowing his ramp-up to game action, the Blue Jays are hoping to maximize his ability and keep him fresh for October rather than worrying too much about his play in April.
Tiedemann Being Eased into Return to the Mound
As with Yesavage, Toronto is taking a patient approach with Tiedemann, who hasn't pitched in a game since undergoing Tommy John surgery in July of 2024. Once the club's top prospect, he is hoping to return to the flamethrowing form that saw him sport a 3.68 ERA while recording 16.8 strikeouts per nine innings across four levels in 2023.
While a return to the mound is promising for Tiedemann, the Blue Jays are going to be extremely cautious with the organization's No. 5 prospect. That means he could be delayed in his start to the season, but that wasn't going to happen at the major league level anyway.
Both updates offer encouraging, albeit modest, indications of progress for two pitchers who are highly important to the future of the club. Don't expect to see Yesavage or Tiedemann throwing complete games anytime soon, but they are both working their way back to full duty and full health.
Ben Fisher is a long-time sportswriter and baseball lover, dating back to 2008, when he was a member of the media relations team for the Toronto Blue Jays. He has covered a wide range of sports for a seemingly endless array of publications, including The Canadian Press, Fansided and The Hockey Writers. When he isn't writing about sports, he can be found coaching his equally baseball-obsessed sons' Little League teams.