TORONTO — Because the Yankees ready for Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage earlier than Sport 2 of the ALDS on Sunday, the one hitter on the workforce who had confronted him chimed in.
“He’s kind of deceptive,” J.C. Escarra informed his teammates throughout a pregame hitters assembly. The third-string catcher, who struck out twice in opposition to Yesavage in a Triple-A recreation on Aug. 21, made positive to warn of the right-hander’s over-the-top arm angle, which provides him the best launch level within the majors, and lethal splitter.
When requested how useful Escarra’s restricted scouting report might be, Aaron Boone mentioned he didn’t know. However the Yankees quickly discovered that it didn’t make a distinction regardless of its accuracy, as Yesavage mowed the Bombers down in Sport 2 whereas their very own pitchers crumbled for the second straight day, leading to a 13-7 victory for Toronto.
With the Yankees allowing double-digit runs once more – the 23 they’ve allowed within the ALDS are essentially the most in franchise historical past over two postseason video games – they now discover themselves getting ready to elimination with the sequence transferring to New York.
“We’ve been playing with our backs up against the wall all year long, so it’s nothing new for us,” Aaron Decide mentioned, noting the Yankees raced Toronto for a division title till the common season’s closing day earlier than profitable two do-or-die video games over the Crimson Sox within the Wild Card spherical.
A Monday off day will give the Yankees time to heal earlier than Sport 3, as Yesavage carved them up on Sunday.
Drafted twentieth total out of East Carolina simply final 12 months, Yesavage dazzled within the fourth large league begin of his profession and his postseason debut, holding the Yankees hitless whereas hanging out 11 and strolling one over 5.1 scoreless innings. At 22 years and 69 days previous, he grew to become the youngest pitcher in MLB historical past to permit zero hits in a playoff begin.
“That was nasty stuff. That split is unlike much you ever run into,” Boone mentioned, including that “there’s no substitute for experiencing someone” after the Yankees did their greatest to prep with video of Yesavage.
Armed with that devastating splitter, Yesavage repeatedly had the Yankees swinging from their knees. With the pitch inducing 11 whiffs, he obtained the Rogers Centre rocking properly earlier than his Blue Jays broke out for six runs within the fourth inning.
“”This has obtained to be cloud 9,” Yesavage mentioned. “I couldn’t think about a greater feeling proper now.
“It’s something I’ve never felt before. The energy and the passion that this fan base has, all 44,000 people that were here tonight, it’s special. They’re the reason I had so much juice and life in me, and I thank them for it.”
Trey Yesavage’s splitter has induced 11 swings and 9 whiffs. It is also despatched a couple of #Yankees to their knees. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/lJWkbMdpzc
Such an environment might have intimidated a younger participant, however Boone mentioned Saturday that he “heard he’s a guy that’s kind of unfazed by being up here in big spots.”
Previous to Sunday’s dismantling, the skipper added that Yesavage can be a “challenge” for his lefty-loaded lineup, because the splitter provides the teenager reverse splits. These feedback proved prescient, as Yesavage, having beforehand logged simply 14 main league innings, went on to outduel $218 million ace and World Collection champ Max Fried with ease as the child’s dad and mom watched from the stands.
“I saw a bunch of heaters and sliders,” mentioned Decide, who struck out on a fastball within the fourth. “It’s just more the arm angle. He’s right over the top, releasing it right above his head. So everything’s coming down into the zone, and you gotta pick up if it’s either going to stay in the zone or drop down underneath. So he did a good job feeding us some in the zone and feeding us some down out of the zone.”
“I think it just comes down to the funky release and him playing it off that fastball line. It was just something we were a little unfamiliar with,” Ben Rice added after Ok’ing on two splits. “It’s one thing on video, but another when you’re in the box.”
It wasn’t till Jays supervisor John Schneider lifted Yesavage at 78 pitches to a refrain of boos that the Yankees lastly put themselves within the hit and scoring columns, as Decide legged out an infield single off Justin Bruihl earlier than Cody Bellinger homered within the sixth.
“I know I was getting booed when I went out there, but he wasn’t going to go 120, 130 pitches,” Schneider mentioned. “I just wanted to let him get recognized for a job well done.”
Whereas Yesavage, who started the season at Single-A, loved a curtain name after his exit, 5 extra Yankees runs adopted within the seventh, which included a two-run single from Giancarlo Stanton. Nonetheless, the workforce was in too large of a gap at that time.
That’s as a result of the Jays had already scored a dozen runs by the point their AL East rival obtained on the board. Seven of these have been charged to Fried, who solely lasted three innings, whereas Will Warren, pressured to put on it after surrendering a grand slam to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., took duty for six by day’s finish.
“We kind of got it going there late,” Decide mentioned, “but at that point, it’s a little too late.”
Even when Yesavage had been hittable, it wouldn’t have mattered with the Blue Jays’ bats shelling the Yankees’ pitchers. However with Toronto receiving big-time contributions on the plate and on the mound, Canada remained a nightmare vacation spot for Boone’s membership, which has now misplaced 7-of-8 video games on the Rogers Centre this season.
That development should finish if the Yankees hope to win the ALDS, because the sequence’ potential Sport 5 would happen in Toronto if the pinstripers can choose up a pair wins within the Bronx on Tuesday and Wednesday. However after two north of the border embarrassments, that’s trying like a tall job, as groups that took a 2-0 lead at dwelling within the ALDS have gained it 31 of 34 occasions.
“Baseball is a funny game,” Boone mentioned of the Yankees’ predicament. “I do know we’ll present up and be able to go anticipating to win Tuesday night time. Clearly, it feels just like the world’s caving in round you, you lose two video games like that of their constructing the place it doesn’t go proper, however abruptly, you go on the market and win a ballgame on Tuesday, the needle can change.
“There’s been a lot of weird things that have happened in baseball this year. This would not be the weirdest, us rallying. We’ll come ready to go Tuesday, expect to win, and then look to win again and push it back here.”
Initially Printed: October 5, 2025 at 7:25 PM EDT
