Trey Yesavage on Track To Rejoin Blue Jays in Heat of Playoff Race
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The fact that the Toronto Blue Jays' season has not been deemed a wash yet is not thanks to their offense.
Instead, it is because their bullpen has been lights-out for most of the season, especially in the tail end of the summer, as well as a starting rotation that has been held together with tape and glue.
Injuries have dismantled this team, specifically the pitching staff. But here they are, a game behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final wild card spot despite the bats being some of the worst in baseball and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. finally hitting his first home run at Rogers Centre this season.
Trey Yesavage went down with a knee injury a couple of innings into his last start on the road against the Houston Astros over a month ago, which led to meniscus surgery. That being said, he is scheduled to take the bump in a rehab game Tuesday with Buffalo per Sportsnet's Hazel Mae, and as long as he feels alright will be set to rejoin Toronto.
So, in the thick of a playoff knife fight of mediocre teams, the Blue Jays are begging for reinforcements and another arm for the starting rotation, which, if all goes well, could be against the Texas Rangers on Sunday or the Baltimore Orioles next Monday.
The fact that the Blue Jays are even in the mix is puzzling, but one thing is for certain: if Yesavage is able to return before the year comes to a close, it will make a world of difference if they are able to make it to the postseason.
A Beaten Down Pitching Staff Continuing To Thrive
It is truly hard to fathom that the Blue Jays have one of the best ERAs in the game when taking into consideration the fact that the front office traded away both Kevin Gausman and Jeff Hoffman, while the starting rotation has never been healthy at any point in the season.
Right now, the rotation features Dylan Cease, who has been phenomenal, Jose Soriano, who was picked up at the trade deadline, a 42-year-old Max Scherzer, and Spencer Arrighetti, who has struggled to find command, which is why he came out of the bullpen in a bulk role Saturday afternoon.
Toronto's rotation is so depleted that a bullpen day is typically needed every four games, which is a pace that is unsustainable. Any time a starter is able to get out of the second inning, it is a win right now for the Jays, and Yesavage is more than capable.
The Blue Jays just took down the O's at Rogers Centre, which ensured that they are still a game back of the final wild card spot. Now, they will face off with a struggling Detroit Tigers squad and hopefully take back a playoff spot as the team waits out the return of Yesavage.
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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.