Toronto rookie Trey Yesavage will get the start when the Blue Jays open the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday at Rogers Centre.
Yesavage is 2-1 with a 4.20 earned-run average and 22 strikeouts in three post-season starts.
He dominated the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Division Series, striking out 11 in 5 1/3 no-hit innings.
After struggling in a loss to Seattle in Game 2 of the AL Championship Series, he rebounded with a win in Game 6 with the Blue Jays facing elimination.
Blake Snell will start for the Dodgers.
The Blue Jays are in the MLB championship for the first time since winning their second of back-to-back titles in 1993, while the Dodgers are the defending champions.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Thursday he wasn’t ready to announce his Game 2 starter from among Kevin Gausman, Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber.
Selected 20th overall in last year’s amateur draft from East Carolina University, Yesavage began the season at Class A Dunedin, was promoted to High-A Vancouver on May 20, Double-A New Hampshire on June 12 and Triple-A Buffalo on Aug. 12.
He was 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA in three starts in September, striking out 16 in 14 innings, helped by a devastating splitter, with seven walks.
Gausman threw 19 pitches in relief in Game 7 of the ALCS on Monday against Seattle, three days after he tossed 91 pitches in his Game 5 start.
“It made sense to hold Kevin for a day,” Schneider said, not committing to Gausman for Game 2 on Saturday or Game 3 on Monday at Dodger Stadium.
Bichette may be activated
Toronto may activate shortstop Bo Bichette for the World Series against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers after the two-time All-Star recovered from a sprained left knee that sidelined him for 1 ½ months.
Bichette, a two-time AL hits leader, hasn’t played since he sprained his left knee in a Sept. 6 collision with New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells.
“We’re kind of coming right down to the wire with it,” manager John Schneider said Thursday. “He’s feeling good which is nice. Still a few more boxes to check.”
Bichette was second in the major leagues to the Yankees’ Aaron Judge with a .311 batting average, hitting 18 homers with 94 RBIs in 139 games.
Schneider said Bichette could be at shortstop, designed hitter or second base, a position Bichette last played in 2019 in the minor leagues.
“Continuing to make progress,” Schneider said. “He’s taking ground balls, running.”
In the World Series for the first time since 1993, Toronto opens against the Dodgers on Friday night.
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