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Blue Jays GDB – ALDS Game 2: Toronto turns to Yesavage for pivotal matchup at the Rogers Centre

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The Blue Jays left little to no doubt on who the better team was yesterday with a resounding 10-1 win over the New York Yankees. Now that that one’s over, their focus turns to leaving Toronto with a 2-0 series lead in the ALDS, and they’re going to hand the ball to a rookie to help them do it.

That would be 22-year-old Trey Yesavage, who was drafted last season and pitched in five different levels of Toronto’s organization this season. Yesavage was called up last month and made three starts with the club, two against the Rays and one against the Royals. In those starts, he allowed 13 hits and five earned runs over 14 innings with 16 strikeouts and 7 walks.

His most recent outing was last Saturday against Tampa Bay, which was the closest thing he’s had to a playoff start given the size of the home crowd and the implications that were on that game. He answered the call with five shutout innings and five strikeouts, while also reaching a season-high 94 pitches.

Albeit a small sample size, Yesavage’s best pitch has undoubtedly been his splitter. That pitch has generated a 57.1% whiff rate along with a measly .111 batting average against it, and since he’s going against a lineup that has not seen him at the major league level yet, the Blue Jays are hoping that pitch will be an issue for Yankees hitters this afternoon. The only hitter that has seen Yesavage is backup catcher J.C. Escarra, who struck out twice against him during an August 21st triple-A affair.

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The Yankees are looking to avoid a 0-2 series deficit, and they’re relying on their staff ace from this season and likely Cy Young candidate in Max Fried. In his first season with the Yankees, Fried amassed a major league-best 19 wins over 32 starts, pitching to a 2.86 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 8.7 K/9, and 2.3 BB/9. He had a fantastic start in Game 1 of their AL Wild Card series against the Red Sox, tossing 6 1/3 shutout innings and allowing four hits, three walks, and six strikeouts.

Fried has faced the Blue Jays several times throughout his career, between his time with Atlanta and New York, but this year, he’s opposed the Blue Jays four times. In those outings, he’s allowed 20 hits and 14 runs (11 earned) across 24 1/3 innings with eight walks and 12 strikeouts. Fried hasn’t fared very well at the Rogers Centre this season, however, with 10 of those runs he’s allowed taking place north of the border.

Four players have logged more than 10 at-bats against Fried in their careers, one of which being George Springer, who is 5-for-15 with two doubles and a Canada Day homer against him. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (5-for-20, three doubles, five RBIs) and Ernie Clement (5-for-15, one double, one triple) have posted solid results against Fried, and Davis Schneider will get the opportunity today to improve his 1-for-11 mark against the veteran lefty.

Outside of home runs from Springer and Andrés Giménez on Canada Day, the Blue Jays haven’t hit any other home runs against Fried, but perhaps some of the juice from yesterday’s at-bats can carry over. It won’t be an easy task against Fried, who posted his lowest home run rate since 2022, and also ranks in the 92nd percentile in average exit velocity.

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Nathan Lukes, Addison Barger, and Anthony Santander are replaced by Schneider, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Myles Straw in today’s lineup, largely due to facing a lefty in Fried. Today will mark the first postseason at-bats for Schneider, who was on Toronto’s 2023 playoff roster but did not appear in any action. Following a two-homer day yesterday, Alejandro Kirk will look to keep things going from the cleanup spot.

Location: Rogers Centre – Toronto, ON

First Pitch: 4:08 PM EST

Watch/Listen: FS1, Sportsnet / ESPN Radio, Sportsnet 590 The Fan

Starting Pitchers

Toronto Blue Jays – Trey Yesavage: 1-0 record, 3.21 ERA, 14 IP, 16 SO, 7 BB

New York Yankees – Max Fried: 19-5 record, 2.86 ERA, 195 1/3 IP, 189 SO, 51 BB

Lineups:

Blue Jays:

  1. George Springer – DH
  2. Davis Schneider – LF
  3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – 1B
  4. Alejandro Kirk – C
  5. Daulton Varsho – CF
  6. Ernie Clement – 3B
  7. Isiah Kiner-Falefa – 2B
  8. Andrés Giménez – SS
  9. Myles Straw – RF

Yankees:

  1. Trent Grisham – CF
  2. Aaron Judge – RF
  3. Cody Bellinger – LF
  4. Ben Rice – 1B
  5. Giancarlo Stanton – DH
  6. Jazz Chisholm Jr. – 2B
  7. Ryan McMahon – 3B
  8. Anthony Volpe – SS
  9. Austin Wells – C