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Ross Atkins Was Coy Regarding Postseason Plans for Blue Jays Star Rookie Pitcher

Originally posted on Toronto Blue Jays on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The Toronto Blue Jays have a lot of luxuries that come as a result of winning the American League East and earning the No. 1 seed in the AL for the postseason.

For starters, it gives them a bye into the ALDS. They do not have to play in the Wild Card round, where divisional rivals are duking it out. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are facing off in one matchup, while the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians tangle in the other.

The Blue Jays will be facing the winner of the AL East showdown in the ALDS. Having a few days off is beneficial for a team that has several key contributors banged up at the moment. The time in between could get them healthy enough to return to the field.

Another benefit of receiving a bye is that manager John Schneider can now line up his pitching staff however he sees fit. One of the players people will anxiously wait to see the role for is rookie Trey Yesavage.

Trey Yesavage Will Be on Blue Jays Postseason Roster

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On Wednesday, general manager Ross Atkins was asked what the rookie phenom’s role will be in the playoffs. He will assuredly be on the roster, but the front office executive played coy about what his exact role would be.

As shared by Mitch Bannon of The Athletic, Atkins said, “expect him to be a part of us preventing runs.” Whether that is as a starting pitcher or coming out of the bullpen has yet to be determined or shared publicly.

Ross Atkins, essentially, confirmed Trey Yesavage will be a part of the #BlueJays postseason: “expect him to be a part of us preventing runs”

Their pitching plans are not yet finalized, so we’ll see if that’s as SP or RP
— Mitch Bannon (@MitchBannon) October 1, 2025

Yesavage has certainly earned a spot on the ALDS roster with his production thus far. While the sample size is small, with only three starts made and 14 innings pitched, he has more than held his own.

In his debut, he had a historic outing. He struck out nine Tampa Bay Rays, setting a franchise record for a pitcher in his debut. His second outing was a bit of a struggle against the Kansas City Royals when he gave up four earned runs in four innings pitched.

But in his final start of the regular season, he got back on track. He fired five shutout innings in a second outing against the Rays, leading the Blue Jays to a massive victory to help hold off the Yankees in the AL East race.

Trey Yesavage strands the bases loaded with a HUGE strikeout! pic.twitter.com/qu4bPGL1pp
— MLB (@MLB) September 27, 2025

Regardless of the role Schneider and the team decide on for Yesavage, he has the stuff to make a massive impact this October. His splitter is already one of the most devastating pitches in baseball, and it will play whether he is in the rotation or coming out of the bullpen.

Already possessing the poise and confidence of a seasoned veteran, Yesavage looks ready to perform under the bright lights of postseason baseball.