Trey Yesavage: The World Series’ greatest rookie ever

On a night that will go down as one of the greatest moments in Canadian baseball history, rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage delivered a World Series performance for the record books. The 22-year-old right-hander threw seven innings of three-hit ball, allowing just one run and striking out 12 to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5.

His outing at Dodger Stadium was dominant from start to finish. Yesavage broke multiple postseason records for a rookie, shut down one of the most powerful lineups in baseball, and brought Toronto to the brink of its first championship since 1993.

Yesavage rewrites the record books in Game 5

From his very first pitch, Yesavage showed poise and confidence far beyond his age. His fastball reached 98 mph, his slider snapped with precision, and he didn’t issue a single walk all night. Through just four innings, he had already fanned eight batters, setting a new World Series record for strikeouts by a rookie over that span.

Yesavage became the first rookie pitcher ever to strike out five consecutive hitters in a World Series game, and the first in history to fan every opposing starter at least once. The Dodgers, who entered the night leading the National League in batting average, had no answers for the rookie from Pennsylvania.

Blue Jays star breaks more World Series records

Yesavage’s 12 strikeouts set a new all-time record for a rookie in a World Series game, breaking a mark that had stood for more than 76 years. The last rookie to record double-digit strikeouts in the Fall Classic did it back in 1949.

His dominance extended beyond one game. With 39 strikeouts this postseason, Yesavage now holds the all-time record for most strikeouts by a rookie in a single playoff run, surpassing Michael Wacha’s 33 with the Cardinals in 2013.

He also became the first rookie ever to record multiple double-digit strikeout games in one postseason, putting him in a class of his own among both young and veteran pitchers.

Yesavage: From Triple-A to World Series hero in six months

The scope of Yesavage’s rise is astonishing. He has now made more postseason starts (five) than he did in Triple-A (four). That rapid ascent shows the complete faith manager John Schneider and the Blue Jays staff placed in him from the start.

In just a few weeks, Yesavage went from promising prospect to Toronto’s most trusted arm on the biggest stage in baseball. His calm demeanor, game awareness, and ability to execute under pressure have revealed a talent that looks destined to define a generation.

His final line: seven innings, three hits, one earned run, no walks, and 12 strikeouts, improving his postseason ERA to 3.46. He left the game with a 6-1 lead and the Blue Jays now just one win away from celebrating their first World Series title in over three decades.

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