Blue Jays starter Yesavage impresses in season debut as Toronto blanks Boston 3-0

TORONTO — Trey Yesavage left most hitters befuddled during his first stint in the big leagues last year.

The Toronto Blue Jays right-hander was just as effective in his season debut on Tuesday night.

Yesavage allowed four hits over 5 1/3 shutout innings in Toronto’s 3-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre.

“I thought he pitched really well,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “I thought he got better as he went on.

“It was just nice to see him out there competing.”

Kazuma Okamoto drove in two runs as the Blue Jays ended Boston’s three-game winning streak and avoided falling into the American League East Division basement.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two hits and a run as Toronto (13-16) won for the third time in four games.

Mason Fluharty, Jeff Hoffman, Tyler Rogers and Louis Varland — with his fourth save — provided 3 2/3 innings of hitless relief.

Known for a nasty splitter and unusual arm angle, Yesavage kept the Red Sox hitters off balance during his 74-pitch outing. He gave up a double and three singles and didn’t walk a batter.

“I was very happy with the fastball location,” he said. “I was able to spot it on the corners up and down. Everything was good.”

A first-round pick in the 2024 draft, Yesavage rose through the minor leagues last season before getting called up to the majors in September.

He impressed over three big-league starts and shone in the post-season, striking out 11 batters in his playoff debut. Yesavage went on to set an MLB record with 39 strikeouts over five post-season starts.

The 22-year-old became the second-youngest Game 1 starter in World Series history. He also became the first rookie to strike out 12 batters in a World Series game.

He missed the first month of the 2026 season as he recovered from a right shoulder impingement. Yesavage made four appearances in the minor leagues before getting the start against fellow youngster Payton Tolle (0-1).

“When you’re missing so many guys, it gives you a little bit of a shot of energy when you have one of your really big-time performers from last year back in there,” Schneider said.

Yesavage got a big pop from the sellout crowd of 41,949 during player introductions and opened with a 95-m.p.h. strike.

Willson Contreras hit a one-out double in the first inning but was left stranded. Boston (12-18) put runners on the corners in the second and again couldn’t push a run across.

Yesavage (1-0) settled in after that, retiring 10 of the next 11 batters in order. With an 80-pitch limit approaching, the skipper turned to the bullpen after Yesavage struck out Contreras to open the sixth inning.

The 22-year-old received a loud ovation as he walked back to the dugout. Yesavage gave pitching coach Pete Walker an emphatic high-five by the top step before he was congratulated by teammates.

“He came back the way he finished the season last year,” Guerrero said via interpreter Hector Lebron. “That’s him.”

Toronto scored twice in the third inning and forced Tolle from the game in the fifth after a pair of two-out walks. Guerrero singled off reliever Zack Kelly’s first pitch to bring home Myles Straw.

The rubber game in the three-game series is set for Wednesday afternoon. Left-hander Eric Lauer was scheduled to start for the Blue Jays.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press