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October 7, 2025, 1:15 AM EST Trey Yesavage wasn’t supposed to look this cool, calm, and collected. Not with 44,000 fans roaring in Toronto. Not against the mighty New York Yankees in October. Not just three weeks after his MLB debut. Yet, on a chilly night at Rogers Centre, the 22-year-old Blue Jays rookie didn’t just pitch—he owned the moment. “This has got to be cloud nine,” Yesavage beamed as he walked off the mound to a standing ovation and thunderous chants of his name. And he wasn’t kidding. The kid just silenced baseball’s highest-scoring lineup, holding the Yankees hitless through 5⅔ innings and giving Toronto a commanding 2-0 ALDS lead. When manager John Schneider came to pull him after 78 pitches, the crowd booed—then erupted into cheers. Schneider stuck to the plan: Yesavage was done, no matter how unstoppable he seemed. His stats? Eleven strikeouts—a Blue Jays postseason record—and only the second pitcher in MLB playoff history to rack up 10 Ks without a hit. Eight of those punchouts came from his wicked splitter, a pitch that drops like a disappearing act. The Yankees were left clueless. “Built for this,” he’d boldly claimed before the series. Sunday night, he proved it, pitch by pitch. From Low-A to the Spotlight Yesavage’s ascent is mind-blowing. Drafted last June from East Carolina, he started 2025 pitching to 300 fans in Low-A Dunedin. Now, he’s facing Aaron Judge and Juan Soto under the October lights. His fastball sizzles at the top of the zone, his splitter plummets, and his slider keeps hitters guessing. For the Yankees, it was like solving three impossible riddles at once. Unfazed, Yesavage walked only Judge in the first inning and saw one other baserunner via an error. His teammates mobbed him in the dugout, and fans refused to sit until he returned for a curtain call. A Glimpse of the Future October often births new stars, and Trey Yesavage might be the brightest. Toronto’s rotation boasts Kevin Gausman and Max Scherzer, but this rookie ace, fearless and unflinching, adds a new dimension. If Game 2 hints at what’s ahead, the Jays’ future shines as bright as the scoreboard flashing his name. “This has got to be cloud nine,” he repeated in the clubhouse, still grinning, still pinching himself. For one unforgettable night in Toronto, it absolutely was.