Some encouraging news as another injury highlights disappointing day for Blue Jays

It's a step in the right direction for the young Trey Yesavage. The 22-year-old right-hander has started the 2026 season on the IL, dealing with a shoulder impingement. In an effort to rejoin the Toronto Blue Jays and get back to the big leagues, Yesavage has been sent on a rehab assignment with Single-A Dunedin.

In his first start, Yesavage checked off a lot of the boxes needed in order to continue on the right path the Blue Jays were hoping he would be on.

Yesavage has a good start in Dunedin and is on the right path to getting back to the big leagues

Yesavage pitched 2.2 innings, with three strikeouts, while giving up one earned run on one hit and allowing one walk. According to Blue Jays beat reporter Keegan Matheson, the only run Yesavage allowed was off an inside-the-park home run. Yesavage threw 44 pitches, with 30 of them being strikes, and he had good velocity, which were all encouraging signs.

It's a breath of fresh air of positive news surrounding the Blue Jays injury front. Aside from Yesavage, José Berrios and Shane Bieber also began the year on the injured list, while Cody Ponce got hurt just four games into the season. And if the injuries to the pitchers themselves weren't enough, their main battery mate, Alejandro Kirk, was removed from Friday's game (Apr. 3) after taking a four tip off his glove hand in the bottom of the tenth in their 5-4 loss in extra innings to the Chicago White Sox.

Prior to the game, it was also announced by the club that Eric Lauer would miss his scheduled Saturday start due to an illness and he was being bumped back to Sunday's series finale against the White Sox. That has forced the Blue Jays to go into Saturday's game (Apr. 4) using Mason Fluharty as an opener in what will be their first bullpen game of the season - likely coming much sooner in the year than they had anticipated.

With the pitchers and now the catcher filling up the IL, the news about Yesavage is certainly encouraging. But it could still be a little while before he gets up to the big leagues. Manager John Schneider suggested that out of the three pitchers who started the year on the side lines, Yesavage is likely the closest to returning to the majors.

However, the Blue Jays have just signed free agent pitcher Patrick Corbin to a one-year $1 million deal and it's been reported that he is up to throwing 80 pitches, but will still need a little bit of time in the minors before he is deemed major league ready - and Yesavage threw just over half of that work load with Dunedin.

So while there is a light in sight at the end of this injury plagued tunnel the Blue Jays currently find themselves in, it would behoove them greatly if they could get through the next stretch of games all in one piece.