For rookie Trey Yesavage the Price is Right

A healthy Yesavage is part of Blue Jays playoff plans

Don’t make the mistake of assuming Monday’s Blue Jays starter, 22-year-old rookie Trey Yesavage, is auditioning for the team’s playoff rotation. Instead, he is more than likely auditioning to be this year’s version of David Price, the classy lefthander who began his outstanding major-league journey with the Rays, as a late addition to the staff that carried into the 2008 playoffs.

Recall that long before Rogers Centre fans ever stood and applauded Price, back in 2015, prior to his first start at home, August 3, as he simply strolled across the outfield to the bullpen to warm up, Price had established himself in the majors, beginning with a rookie history similar to that which the Jays are attempting with Yesavage. In interviews, to this day, the now-40-years-old Price gets goosebumps.

But seven years before he was dealt to the Jays from the Tigers in a deadline blockbuster by GM Alex Anthopoulos that led all the way to an ALCS appearance, Price had been a rookie prodigy. It was his first full pro season, promoted late by the Rays, contributing in key ways out of the ‘08 pen. It led to a five-game World Series loss to the Phillies, the first of only two Fall Classic appearances for the franchise.

Price was drafted first overall in 2007 out of Vanderbilt University but was not assigned to an affiliated Rays farm team the rest of the way. However, in 2008, he made a rapid rise through the Rays system, starting the year at Vero Beach (A+), moving to Montgomery (AA) and finally to Durham (AAA) for four starts. Price was recalled in September and made his MLB debut at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 14, pitching 5.1 innings in relief of Edwin Jackson, allowing a pair of runs on three hits, with no walks and four strikeouts.

In that initial ‘08 pro season, at three minor-league levels, Price had made 19 starts and threw 109.2 innings. Following his mid-September MLB debut, the Tennessee native, worked a total of five regular season games down the stretch, with no decisions, one start and a 1.93 ERA. But that postseason role had always been the plans, to have him ready to contribute in long relief in the playoffs.

It clearly worked. Price was a key member of the Rays bullpen, recording a win and a save in three appearances vs. the Red Sox in the ALCS, then pitching a pair of games vs. the Phillies in a five-game World Series loss. He forged a post-season ERA of 1.59 in five games. Relief was never to be his role. From that point on he made 319 regular-season starts, before joining the Dodgers late in his career.

Shifting to the Jays and what they are attempting to do with their own young prospect, Yesavage. There are parallels to the Price situation from 2008.

With the Jays, the 22-year-old Jays’ righthander, Yesavage was drafted in the first round of the 2024 draft out of East Carolina University, but did not pitch with an affiliated Jays farm team the rest of the way. However, in 2025, he ascended rapidly through the Jays system, starting the year at Dunedin (A), then to Vancouver (A+), New Hampshire (AA) and Buffalo (AAA) before being added on to the MLB roster in time for his start at the Rays’ temporary Steinbrenner Field home in Tampa.

Blue Jays Plan for Yesavage

Manager John Schneider often shrugs when questioned about plans for his starting rotation, when it comes to either five or six-man, too much rest, not enough rest and even the idea of setting up an ideal four-man group, for any playoff series. It’s always in flux. One thing is certain, Yesavage is up to help the bullpen and is not among those being considered for a rotation spot in October.

After Yesavage pitches Monday at Tampa, there are a couple of options to prepare him for what lies ahead, not necessarily dependent on the results of that game. The Jays are currently in the midst of a 13-games-in-13-days stretch through the end of this road trip that finishes in Kansas City on Sunday. However, the likelihood is that they chose to start him Sept. 15 so they could better control the circumstances of his debut, his pitch count, the leverage, instead of having him come out of the pen and not be sure when that would be.

Option 1: Sure, the Jays could ask Yesavage to start again on Sunday vs. the Royals, pushing Jose Berrios (who is also on turn and would have been on his fifth day) back to Tuesday against Boston. That would mean Berrios, who has recently showed signs of fatigue, would be pitching on two extra days rest, while everyone that follows – would also be on a seventh day. That’s not ideal.

Option 2: If Berrios starts the final day in Kansas City, then Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber would all be on five days rest, with Yesavage ready, by Friday and beyond, to play an important role in long relief if needed.

A quiet subtext to this story is that it is personally important to Berrios and the coaching staff, that he makes his 32 starts again. He is at 29, with Tuesday for sure and Sunday a possibility. That would allow him to make a once-through the lineup start in one of the final two games against the Rays at home. It would be his seventh straight full season with exactly 32 games started. It matters to him. It matters to Schneider.

It's important for the Jays in the next 14 days to win the division, finish with one of the Top 2 records in the AL and set up the playoff rotation for either a best-of-three wildcard round, or a best-of-five ALDS. Also important is the health of their pitchers, so what they are planning today, may change slightly or dramatically. So stay tuned, but make sure to enjoy the ride.