Yesavage breaks World Series record for rookie pitchers in phenomenal Game 5 start

The improbable and incredible rookie season for Trey Yesavage may have ended with a punctuation mark in his World Series Game 5 start against the LA Dodgers. What the 22-year-old did against the defending World Series champions was nothing short of spectacular and it put his name in the record books.

With Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax looking on, Yesavage struck out 12 batters over seven innings of three-hit ball. Those 12 strikeouts are the most that has ever been thrown by a rookie pitcher in a World Series game.

Yesavage breaks World Series record for rookie pitchers in phenomenal Game 5 start

To illustrate just how far he has come in a single year, Yesavage didn't even hang around with the Major Leaguers during Spring Training. After being drafted in the 2024 MLB armature draft, Yesavage didn't get an invite to the Blue Jays MLB spring training camp - instead joining the other minor leaguers in Dunedin after the main camp was already under way.

He then moved through five levels of baseball and earned the trust of the coaching staff and Manager John Schneider to let him be a part of the starting rotation in the ALDS against the Yankees - getting the nod over future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer and 11 year veteran Chris Bassitt. Yesavage responded with an 11 strikeout, no-hit performance in a Blue Jays Game 2 win.

He then pitched in two games of the ALCS, including a do-or-die Game 6 at Rogers Centre and in front of the home crowd he struck out seven Mariners in 5.2 innings pitched and led the way for Toronto to extend that series. His next start was Game 1 of the World Series in which he bested former Cy Young award winner Blake Snell as he limited the Dodgers to two runs on four hits in four innings with five strikeouts, and helping the Blue Jays set the tone for the series in a Game 1 win.

That brings us to his historic outing in Game 5 in LA. He was given a two-run lead to work with before he threw a pitch as Davis Schneider and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit back-to-back homers in the top of the first. He retired the first seven batters he faced, including five straight on strikeouts. The lone blemish was Enrique Hernandez hitting a solo home run in the third.

Yesavage struck out Ohtani to end the third. He got Will Smith and Mookie Bets swinging to start the fourth. And the Dodgers just kept whiffing as the game went on. His final line 12 K's and no walks - something no pitcher has ever done in 120 years of World Series play. He got through a full seven innings on 104 pitches with 71 of those pitches being thrown for strikes.

It may not have been a complete game. It may not have been a no-hitter. But this Game 5 start by Yesavage was one for the record books. It was an absolute masterpiece.