Yesavage Returns to Sahlen Field

By: Brian Frank

Trey Yesavage, who rocketed through the Blue Jays' system last year, beginning the season at Low-A Dunedin and finishing it pitching in the World Series, returned to the Sahlen Field mound last night. Yesavage had a 3.63 ERA in six games for Buffalo last season. He was then promoted to Toronto, where he pitched in three regular-season games before pitching in six postseason games, including an 11-strikeout performance in the American League Division Series against the Yankees, and a 12-strikeout game against the Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series.

The 22-year-old, still considered a major-league rookie because he threw only 14 regular-season innings last year, shut things down during spring training due to right shoulder impingement.

"It was right before camp," Yesavage said of his injury. "Then I got there and said something, and took a lot of precautionary measures just make sure I am back to a hundred percent."

"It was tough," he said. "I always want to be go, go, go whenever I'm at the baseball field, but I just had to get healthy and be ready for this long season, whatever it entails. So I had to try and figure that out a little bit, because I never faced that. But I think I did a good job with it."

Yesavage fields postgame questions. Photo courtesy of the Buffalo Bisons Baseball Club.

Yesavage is currently working his way back to the big leagues. After pitching in two rehab games for the Dunedin Blue Jays, the Boyertown, Pennsylvania, native threw 4 1/3 innings for Buffalo last Wednesday in Rochester against the Red Wings before taking the mound in downtown Buffalo on Tuesday night against the Columbus Clippers for what could be his final tuneup before rejoining Toronto's rotation.

His night against the Clippers got off to a bit of a rocky start. After retiring two of the first three batters, he fielded a ground ball hit by cleanup hitter Nolan Jones and inadvertently fired it down the right-field line for an error, which eventually led to two unearned runs crossing the plate.

He retired the side in order in the second, but allowed a double and three walks in the third, leading to two more runs.

"The walk in the first inning—it is what it is," he said. "But there in the third inning, I lost command of the splitter and the heater and the slider in the strike zone. Just lost everything there."

"I've just got to take a second on the mound, collect myself and get in control of my breath and just relax and just trust my stuff in that situation."

Yesavage with Bisons catcher William Simoneit. Photo credit: Brian Frank, The Herd Chronicles

Yesavage exited the game after 2 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on two hits and four walks, while striking out two. He fired 64 pitches, 37 for strikes. The Bisons went on to lose to the Clippers 5–2.

"I wanted to feel healthy, obviously, which I did, but also wanted to go out there and go five, six innings, whatever it was," Yesavage said. "I didn't do that. And we'll see what happens."

Despite the shorter-than-expected outing, the 6′4″ hurler said he felt strong and ready to rejoin Toronto's rotation.

"Physically, I felt great. I feel normal. So I'm happy about that."