The reinforcements for the Toronto Blue Jays’ rotation are finally here.

Before the start of Tuesday’s game against the Boston Red Sox, starter Trey Yesavage was activated from the 15-day injured list, with the team optioning Chase Lee. This move had been announced over the weekend, so it was not surprise.

The Blue Jays have really missed Yesavage. He is one of three starting pitchers who began the season on the injured list, with José Berríos and Shane Bieber joining him. In the fourth game of the season, Cody Ponce was also placed on the injured list and is unlikely to pitch until next season.

To say the 2025 season was a whirlwind year for Yesavage would be an understatement. The Blue Jays drafted the 22-year-old 20th overall in 2024. Making his professional debut at the start of the 2025 minor league season, Yesavage played at all four “A” levels before starting three games in the Blue Jays’ rotation in September.

In those three starts, Yesavage posted a 3.21 ERA and 2.35 FIP in 14 innings pitched. That paled in comparison to what he did in the postseason. Yesavage had a historic first start in the playoffs, striking out 11 Yankees through five and one-third hitless innings. His next start, Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, didn’t go as well, but he did enough in Game 6 of the ALCS to force Game 7.

Then Yesavage started Game 1 of the World Series, going four inning with two runs allowed, three walks, and five hits, solid, but not great. His best start of his MLB career happens to be the last time he started a big league game, Game 5 of the World Series. There, Yesavage went seven innings of one run ball with 12 strikeouts.

The Red Sox have a young pitcher selected in the 2024 starting Tuesday evening’s game as well. Payton Tolle, a left-handed pitcher, made his debut last season, but was called up just five days ago. The 23-year-old made his season debut against the Yankees, striking out 11 in six one-run innings.

Monday’s game saw the Blue Jays struggle against left-handed pitcher Ranger Suárez, mustering just one hit, an excuse me swing double, over eight scoreless innings of work. They once again have their usual lineup against a left-handed starter, with Myles Straw leads off.

He’s followed by Ernie Clement and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as has been the case for a while now. Kazuma Okamoto remains in the cleanup spot, but is followed by lefty Daulton Varsho, who came off the bench and hit a double in the bottom of the ninth on Monday.

Eloy Jiménez is back in the lineup and has cooled off in recent times. Davis Schneider is batting seventh again, but jumping up to bat eighth is Tyler Heineman. Andrés Giménez, a second left-handed batter, is batting ninth.

Let’s set up Tuesday evening’s game against the Boston Red Sox.

Toronto Blue Jays – Trey Yesavage: 0-0 record, 0 ERA, 0 IP, 0 SO, 0 BB

Boston Red Sox – Payton Tolle: 0-0 record, 1.50 ERA, 6 IP, 11 SO, 1 BB