Toronto Blue Jays rookie Yesavage suffers right shoulder injury, will start season on injured list

The Toronto Blue Jays' starting rotation continues to face setbacks, as Trey Yesavage, a rising star in 2025 and an early favorite for the 2026 AL Rookie of the Year award, will begin the new season on the injured list due to injury.

Manager John Schneider announced today that Yesavage is dealing with right shoulder impingement. While the team will not completely prohibit him from pitching, he will not be ready when the season starts.

Considering Yesavage's significant increase in pitching workload last season, starting from Single-A Dunedin and ultimately pitching through to Game 7 of the World Series, the Blue Jays had already adopted a cautious approach with him during spring training this year. This plan was fundamentally sound, prioritizing keeping Yesavage active in October rather than just in April. Now, the full context has become clear.

"This was an issue he had when he reported to spring camp, and it obviously led to his slow progress," Schneider said. "Currently he feels good, is in better condition than before, and can continue to gradually ramp up. He will continue with the plan he has been following."

The good news is that Yesavage will continue pitching, with his next outing scheduled for March 25 (U.S. time). However, this feels more than just a delay of one or two starts for his season. Yesavage last pitched in a minor league game on Tuesday, throwing two innings and 35 pitches, and he has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game this spring.

"The key is finding a balance, not increasing the pitching volume too drastically, while also ensuring he completes all necessary preparation steps," Schneider said. "Whether the next outing on the 25th involves a similar pitch count or a slight increase, we'll see at that time."

Even if Yesavage's shoulder responds perfectly and his velocity immediately returns to its expected level next week in Dunedin, he still needs to gradually increase his pitch count over his next few appearances. Will Toronto require him to reach over 80 pitches before his season debut, or is 65 pitches sufficient?

Once health and workload issues are resolved, Yesavage's actual performance will become part of the discussion. Shoulder problems can be complex, and although the Blue Jays are optimistic that Yesavage has passed the critical phase, they need to see his pitching power fully restored before proceeding further.

"Many players encounter this situation," Schneider said. "When he reported this issue, we slowed his progression, and I believe it will resolve naturally. What he's doing now is completing the necessary steps. If we weren't confident in him standing on the mound and pitching fully, we wouldn't let him do it."

The news of Yesavage's injury adds to the woes of a rotation already missing Shane Bieber and José Berríos. Bieber has yet to pitch this spring due to forearm fatigue issues from the winter; Berríos was recently diagnosed with a right elbow stress fracture. A starting rotation that once seemed remarkably deep is now stretched thin. Baseball always finds ways to adjust, but the Blue Jays cannot afford any more bad news.

Eric Lauer now appears highly likely to join the Toronto rotation, following Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Max Scherzer, and Cody Ponce. The returns of Yesavage, Bieber, and Berríos may occur in batches over the early months of the season, each bringing new decisions.

However, few young pitchers in baseball possess the high ceiling that Yesavage does. He is a throwback type of pitcher, a bulldog on the mound, and his splitter baffles the best hitters in baseball. If the Blue Jays aim to chase a World Series, they need this kind of potential.

"He really wants to play, so he's a bit disappointed, but he understands his condition at that time," Schneider said. "If he feels well, we would have several different approaches, but we've been communicating with him consistently. He handled it like a professional, feels much better now, and is eager to gradually ramp up."

Regarding Yesavage, as with Bieber and Berríos: keep monitoring. The Blue Jays are managing reasonably well at this point, but at this stage, they need some positive news.