Top prospect Trey Yesavage dominant in debut as Jays beat Rays

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It’s not usually {that a} huge league debut can uproot the thrill of a playoff race, however the Blue Jays discovered magic and mastery in a 22-year-old proper arm that did simply that on Monday.

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In a scintillating show, Trey Yesavage introduced a tear to the attention of his father, who was amongst members of the family within the stands at George Steinbrenner Field and one other heap of hope to his latest set of teammates.
In one of the crucial spectacular debuts in Blue Jays historical past, Yesavage was dominant, placing out 9 Tampa Bay Rays hitters in five-plus innings of labor.

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It wasn’t simply an historic outing by the rookie — setting a franchise strikeout document for a pitcher in his first major-league begin — however one which instantly provides a dynamic weapon to the playoff-bound Jays.

All in all, it was fairly a present by the 2024 first-round draft choose, the strapping 6-foot-4 proper hander who dazzled along with his potential to strike out hitters with a dominant splitter. That pitch alongside brings a potent factor of swing and miss humiliation, because it confounded Rays batters.

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After a barely nervy (and absolutely comprehensible) first inning, Yesavage unleashed a superb effort in his huge league debut, a showcase outing for the younger phenom. Using that outlier excessive launch level that whisked him by way of 4 minor-league ranges at lightning velocity, Yesavage pitched nicely past his age and expertise.

It helped set the stage for yet one more dramatic comeback win, this time a 2-1 extra-innings win that went to 11 innings. Combined with a Yankees loss in Minnesota, the victory boosted the Jays lead within the American League East to 5 video games.

What an evening, throughout.

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In the start, it was all a couple of child turning into a person within the huge leagues over his five-plus innings of labor.

Yesavage’s potential to assault — and sure torment — hitters was on show after he allowed hits to the primary two batters he confronted. From then on, the massive righty didn’t enable successful till Chandler Simpson, the final batter he confronted, touched him for a single to steer off the sixth.

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In between, Yesavage struck out Rays batters, lots of them along with his splitter and most leaving them to exit the batter’s field trying foolish.
Those 9 Okay’s provided a slightly dazzling glimpse at what his elite arm can present down the stretch and in to October.

The stretch that needed to wow many within the group — to not point out Yesavage and his household, who have been in attendance — passed off from the third into the fourth when he struck out 5 consecutive Rays hitters.

Big-league debuts are available in all sizes and shapes and expectations. For Yesavage, it was actually a whirlwind 48 hours going from Rochester (with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons) on Saturday to Toronto on Sunday and on his first group constitution flight to Tampa later that night time.

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Along the way in which he met his fifth set of latest teammates this season (including to those he pitched for in Dunedin, Vancouver, New Hampshire and Buffalo) together with some sage recommendation from a Cy Young Award winner who shares a Blue Jays uniform.

“Just be your self, throw strikes and get forward (within the depend),” veteran Shane Bieber mentioned of his phrases of knowledge to Yesavage. “It’s a particular factor and no one can take that away from you, turning into an enormous league baseball participant.

“He appears comfy and able to go, so I’m excited to observe, excited for him and his household.”

On all fronts, Yesavage delivered on Monday … after which some.

TREY TAKEAWAY

The debut of the highly-touted rookie in all probability exceeded expectations given the right-hander’s visible dominance, however it wasn’t a whole shock.

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Manage John Schneider was emphatic on Sunday when he mentioned that Yesavage’s call-up wasn’t a gratuitous call-up however slightly an addition of an elite arm that might have quick and profound influence.

The subsequent steps, then, might be fascinating. Does he keep within the rotation and acquire additional confidence within the majors? Or do the Jays tinker with the bullpen?

And if the entrance workplace feels Monday’s tour de pressure was as spectacular because it appeared, how will the rotation unfold going ahead?
The choices are fascinating. The choices that await? Complicated in a great way.

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QUICK HITS

The Jays lastly acquired a win at Steinbrenner Field, the place they have been swept over three depressing video games in May, when a George Springer single drove in Ernie Clement for the go-ahead run within the eleventh inning. The huge story past Yesavage, nevertheless, was the Jays bullpen that allowed only one hit and no runs to grind out an enormous win. The ultimate hero from that group was Brayden Fisher, who handled Rays runners on the corners with no one out earlier than retiring the subsequent three batters he confronted to finish two dominant (additional) innings of reduction … With Rays starter Joe Boyle matching Yesavage, permitting three hits and no runs in six innings, the Jays lastly acquired on board within the eighth when a sac bunt from Tyler Heineman and sac fly from Andres Gimenez acquired Ernie Clement throughout … Yesavage was simply the second pitcher in Jays franchise historical past to make a begin the 12 months after being drafted, becoming a member of Dave Stieb (1979.)

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