The Toronto Blue Jays will be looking forward to getting a full season out of prized young arm Trey Yesavage this season.
The 22-year-old emerged as a late-season call-up and playoff hero. He was a pivotal force in helping the Jays return to the World Series after three decades.
But that’s where Toronto will need to be careful with Yesavage. He has all of 14 innings of regular-season experience to go with 27.2 postseason innings. That’s hardly a large workload. And it’s something that the entire coaching staff will need to keep in mind.
Given Yesavage’s age and competitiveness, there will be a temptation to roll with him. Some estimates place Yesavage around 180 to 190 innings. Such a workload could be far too much for the young right-hander.
Typically, teams are cautious with extending a pitcher’s workload. In cases like Yesavage’s, some teams limit innings to a little over 100. That’s the result of seeing so many young pitchers wear down late in the season.
Considering that the Blue Jays are eyeing a postseason appearance, having Yesavage available is crucial. That situation means closely monitoring his workload to ensure he doesn’t burn out in the middle of the season.
Blue Jays Could Cut Down on Yesavage’s Starts
In the old days, young pitchers would go out there every fifth day and throw. But decades of anecdotal and scientific experience have shown that ramping up young pitchers too soon could lead to arm fatigue in the best of cases.
In today’s MLB, arm fatigue most likely leads to Tommy John surgery. That’s the worst outcome the Blue Jays could face with Yesavage. That’s why a measured approach will be best. That may entail cutting down on his starts mid-year to keep his arm fresh late into the season.
Manoah Is Cautionary Tale for Jays
The Blue Jays went down a similar path with Alek Manoah. He burst onto the scene in 2021 as a promising arm. He went 9-2 with a 3.22 ERA in 111.2 innings. That was the precursor to a fantastic 2022 season in which he went 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA, striking out 180 batters in over 196.2 innings.
Then, Manoah ran into trouble. His ERA ballooned to 5.87 the following season in just 19 starts. After five starts in 2024, the Blue Jays shut him down. Manoah has not pitched since undergoing Tommy John surgery.
That’s a cautionary tale for the Blue Jays to keep in mind moving forward. The club allowed Manoah’s innings to spike from one year to the next. Ideally, the club would have capped Manoah’s innings in 2022. It didn’t, and lost a promising arm in the process.
While there’s always the chance that Manoah could return to form down the road, the odds aren’t really in his favor.
Given their experience with Manoah, the Blue Jays would do well to keep Yesavage’s innings in check. It might mean running extra bullpen games or rolling with six starters at some point. Nevertheless, it’s always best to err on the side of caution.
Blue Jays Must Be Careful with Prized Young Arm in 2026