Trey Yesavage to miss start of season; can Blue Jays’ rotation hold up?

The Toronto Blue Jays will open the season without right-hander Trey Yesavage, who's dealing with a right shoulder impingement.

According to Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling, Yesavage reported to spring training with the issue, which led to his slow build-up to the regular season. 

Yesavage is feeling fine now and threw 35 pitches in a minor league outing on Monday. He is scheduled to throw again on March 25. There's no timeline for his return to pitch in games, as the Blue Jays begin the regular season on March 27 against the Athletics. 

Yesavage, 22, spent nearly all of 2025 in the minors, where he posted a 5-1 record and struck out 160 in 98 innings. In the majors last season, he made three appearances, posting a 1-0 record and 3.21 ERA.

In the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Yesavage was dominant, striking out 17 in 12.2 innings over three appearances. 

The Blue Jays' rotation is OK with Trey Yesavage on the injured list 

Toronto's starting rotation is dealing with injuries. Right-hander Jose Berrios has inflammation in his right elbow, and right-hander Bowden Francis will miss the 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. 

Despite that, the Blue Jays have the depth needed to fill those innings. Left-hander Eric Lauer and right-hander Max Scherzer, a future Hall of Famer, will fill in.

Lauer’s awful spring — an 8.64 ERA and eight earned runs in four starts (8.1 innings) — hasn't seemed to affect his spot in the rotation. Scherzer has been great in two starts, allowing no runs and striking out six.