CHARLOTTEVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Just three years after pitching for the Charlottesville Tom Sox, Trey Yesavage broke MLB’s World Series rookie record for strikeouts in a game during Toronto’s 6-1 Game 5 win over the Dodgers on Wednesday night.
Yesavage, became the first Tom Sox alum to play in a World Series game when he started Game 1 last Friday, struck out 12 Dodgers over seven innings, allowing just three hits.
“I’m kind of blown away at what he did,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider during the postgame press conference, after his club went up 3-2 going back to Toronto.
In 2022, Yesavage – who played his college baseball at East Carolina – went 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA in seven appearances, helping the Tom Sox win the Valley League championship. Wednesday, he pitched the Blue Jays to a win away from a World Series title.
“Just get in the zone early, being in my count, and just throwing whatever I wanted when I was at two strikes,” Yesavage said.
Yesavage broke the mark belonging to former Dodgers pitcher Don Newcome, who fanned 11 hitters in the 1949 World Series. Yesavage also became the second MLB pitcher to ever record 10 strikeouts through the first five innings of a World Series game, joining Dodgers’ legend Sandy Koufax.
“Historic stuff, you know what I mean, when you talk about that stage and his numbers… getting ahead of a lot of hitters, tons of swing-and-miss,” Schneider said. “It’s one thing to be in the zone, and it’s another to be in the zone and get some swing-and-miss. Slider and split were electric.”
The 22-year old recorded 23 swings-and-misses during the game, which is the by a World Series pitcher since pitch tracking began in 2008.
His 39 postseason strikeouts, in two games versus the Dodgers and prior games in the ALDS against the New York Yankees, surpasses St. Louis Cardinal Michael Wacha in 2013 for the most as a rookie.
Yesavage credited his coaches and teammates with helping him be prepared, and keeping him in the right mindset.
And Schneider noticed that in the first play of the game when the first batter he faced was superstar Shohei Ohtani who hit a dribbler back to the mound, and the young 22-year old kind of bobbled the ball and had to shovel the ball to first base.
“That’s weird example of poise,” Schneider said, “I think pitchers in general handling the baseball, and when they mishandle it it can get a little squirrelly. But the fact he kind of shoveled it the way he did, and kind of had a little smile on his face, it actually gives you a little bit of confidence he’s in the right frame of mind.”
Yesavage was asked postgame if he allowed himself to think he was pitching in to Ohtani in front of 52,000 fans when seven months ago he was pitching in front of about 300 fans in Jupiter, FL.
“It’s crazy world, crazy world, Hollywood couldn’t have made it this good,” Yesavage said.
“So, just being a part of this, I’m just very blessed.”
Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts said he just has to tip his cap to the rookie, “Lot of poise, lot of poise… I don’t have to know anything about him to see he’s an athlete, fields his position well, has good baseball IQ holding runners, there’s no panic.”
Schneider talked about calling Yesavage up in mid-September, and then using him in such high leverage situations that he has in the postseason after just three regular season starts.
“Thinking back to when we called him up, you know i think it was with 12 or 13 games left in the season, you’re kind of taking a shot at bringing more talent in and you’re not really sure of how it’s going to unfold or what roll he’s going to be in.”
“But, I said it before the game, regular season’s going to be normal for him, I think. He’s definitely raised the ceiling for sure. We’re talking about a guy who not only is he performing well, but he’s handling a lot of stuff well… handling the preparation, handling the media, handling his teammates really well, too.”
Yesavage said Thursday is a recovery day, but he’s ready to do whatever it takes if his manager wants to call on him for any role in Game 6 or 7.
