Blue Jays Announce Trey Yesavage Decision After 18 Missed Games
The Toronto Blue Jays have struggled early in the 2026 season, sitting at 7-11 and in fifth place in the American League East. Much of that has stemmed from injuries across the pitching staff, forcing multiple bullpen games and placing added strain on the remaining starters.
One of the most significant absences has been right-hander Trey Yesavage. The 22-year-old has been sidelined with a right shoulder impingement after being placed on the injured list during spring training, and he has now missed 18 consecutive games.
So far, the Blue Jays have been cautious with his recovery. Yesavage began his rehab assignment with Single-A Dunedin on April 3 and made his second rehab start on April 9, still with Dunedin. He then moved up to Triple-A Buffalo and made his third rehab start on April 15 in Rochester. In that outing he threw 4⅓ innings and 71 pitches while striking out five.
As the team prepares to open a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, manager John Schneider provided an update on Yesavage's status.
According to MLB.com's Keegan Matheson, Yesavage is scheduled to make another rehab start on Tuesday, as the club looks to continue building up his workload and ensure he is fully ready before returning to the major-league rotation.
News: Trey Yesavage will make another rehab start Tuesday.
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) April 17, 2026
The #BlueJays want to get him just a bit more built up and be 100% sure that he's here to stay when he arrives.
The update offers some encouragement for Toronto. The rotation has lacked depth throughout the early part of the season, and a healthy return from Yesavage could provide a much-needed, reliable arm with big-league experience.
Yesavage showed clear promise during his 2025 rookie campaign. He went 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA over 14.0 innings across three starts, striking out 16 batters while issuing seven walks. He posted a 1.43 WHIP and held opposing hitters to a .236 batting average.
He carried that form into the postseason. Yesavage went 3-1 with a 3.58 ERA over 27.2 innings in six appearances, recording 39 strikeouts and a 1.05 WHIP as the Blue Jays advanced to the World Series.
On the biggest stage, he continued to deliver. In the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Yesavage went 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA over 12.2 innings in three outings, striking out 17 batters. In one appearance, he set a rookie record with 12 strikeouts and no walks. While Toronto fell short of a title, his performance reinforced his ability to compete at the highest level.
Related: Blue Jays' John Schneider Announces George Springer Update Before Brewers Game
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This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 7:55 PM.