Why Trey Yesavage's Spring Focus Matters More Than His Results for Blue Jays
In this story:
The Toronto Blue Jays are approaching their first spring training matchup, scheduled for Feb. 21 against the Philadelphia Phillies. The ballclub is looking to use this period to its advantage in order to hit the ground running once the regular season finally kicks off.
Heading into their upcoming campaign, the Blue Jays have a strong starting rotation led by Dylan Cease. Toward the middle of the rotation, fans will likely see Trey Yesavage, who stunned the nation during the postseason. He flew under the radar most of the year, but he ended up claiming the spotlight when the playoffs rolled around.
Although we've seen just how capable this 22-year-old arm is, his spring focus is far more important than his results, at least for right now. If Toronto is looking to enter the race to the World Series for a second consecutive year, pushing Yesavage to his limits would not be a wise move in the long run.
If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.
Yesavage's Historic Postseason Run
Last year, Yesavage's jaw-dropping performance in the postseason was truly something special. He became the first MLB player to start multiple World Series matchups in his first eight career games. He set records, one of which was a rookie record for 12 strikeouts in a World Series game, and shook the baseball world.
He was referred to as a playoff hero numerous times, and considering his lack of experience in the big leagues, Toronto fans became enthralled by his talent. By the end of his 2025 campaign, he had logged a 3.21 ERA and 16 strikeouts across 14.0 innings pitched through three starts.
Minimize Pressure on Yesavage
Although his ability has been made clear, placing pressure on the young gun to post similar results right off the bat this year is rather unrealistic and incredibly risky. Instead, the right-hander should focus on further development this spring, rather than solely focusing on strong results.
As a budding ace, there's little to no doubt surrounding Yesavage. He was a rookie sensation with great potential to develop into one of baseball's greats down the road.
He's had a quiet offseason this year, and given that he's never played a full season in the Major Leagues before, it's important that he prioritizes his health and proceeds with caution throughout the spring. Bottom line, losing Yesavage to a potential injury would be devastating for the franchise, particularly considering how much he contributed to their postseason success in 2025.
Maria Aldrich lives in the captivating Adirondack Mountains in New York where she can be found scaling cliffs, hiking in the High Peaks and paddling down local rivers. After graduating from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education, Maria began documenting her backcountry experiences through written stories. Over the years, she has found herself drawn to sports journalism and now focuses on MLB, WNBA, NCAA and NHL writing. She can be reached at mariaaldrich20@outlook.com.