Starting pitcher Trey Yesavage put the Toronto Blue Jays on his back in their 13-7 Game 2 victory over the New York Yankees. But for fellow Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt, he saw it coming from a mile away.
Yesavage ended up striking out 11 batters during his 5.1 innings pitched. Bassitt didn't put a number on it, but he expected the right-hander to rack up the punch outs when he took to the mound, via Mitch Bannon of The Athletic.
“I won’t say the number,” Bassitt said. “But I called a lot of strikeouts today. I thought he was gonna have a really good day.”
Alongside his strikeout numbers, Yesavage didn't allow a single hit and just one walk in his outing. It would be a remarkable start for any pitcher in the major leagues. But for Yesavage, it marked his first ever playoff appearance. The Blue Jays couldn't have asked for anything more from the rookie.
Prior to the postseason start, Yesavage had appeared in just three games at the major league level. He held a 3.21 ERA and a 17/6 K/BB ratio. A former top prospect, Toronto had high expectations for the righty. But with injuries to Bassitt and Max Scherzer, he was thrown into the fire a bit earlier than expected.
That proved to be no problem for Yesavage, who moved down the Yankees with ease. However the American League Division Series isn't over yet. The Blue Jays will now head to New York, still in need of one more win. If it comes down to it and Yesavage is forced to pitch again, Toronto is hoping he keeps his hot playoff opening run alive.
