The Toronto Blue Jays have a World Series win in their sights as the tournament returns north of the border for Game 6. The Jays lead, 3-2, after a triumphant rebound from an 18-inning loss and a heroic performance from rookie Trey Yesavage on the mound.
The rookie had made just three starts in the big leagues, but you wouldn't know it based on his postseason performances. The 22-year-old owns a 3.46 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, 39 strikeouts and 10 walks over 26 innings.
Yesavage started Game 5 on October 29 in front of a hostile Dodger Stadium crowd, and he delivered again. He limited LA to just one run on three hits and clocked 12 strikeouts in seven innings of work. Opponents have posted just a .187 batting average against him over five postseason starts, which is exceptionally shocking since 2025 is his first season in professional baseball.
The Blue Jays selected Yesavage in the first round of the 2024 draft, and he posted a meteoric rise through their farm system. He logged a 3.12 ERA in 96 innings across all four levels of the minor leagues and very much earned his spot in the big leagues during a playoff push and World Series run. The Boston Red Sox have a few promising young pitchers who could post similar success stories next season.
Blue Jays' Trey Yesavage has Red Sox fans excited for their 2026 after top pitching prospects Connelly Early and Payton Tolle debuts
HISTORY: Trey Yesavage's 12th strikeout of the night breaks the rookie record for Ks in a #WorldSeries game! pic.twitter.com/OxpgPT0Ug9
— MLB (@MLB) October 30, 2025
Boston summoned pitching prospects Payton Tolle and Connelly Early in the final weeks of the season as its rotation depth became depleted due to injuries. Both had their struggles, which is to be expected soon after players' big league debuts, but the Sox's 2026 rotation could be fearsome and deep.
Like Yesavage, Tolle made his big league debut during his first season in professional baseball. He pitched 5.1, two-run innings and logged eight strikeouts against the Pirates in his first start for the Red Sox, but they quickly moved him to the bullpen afterward due to questionable command. Tolle finished his season with a 6.06 ERA with 19 strikeouts and eight walks over 16.1 innings in the majors, but he could make the 2026 major league roster after an offseason of rest and further instruction from Sox coaches.
Early has been in the Red Sox's system for three seasons, since they drafted him in the fifth round in 2023. He was never as highly touted a prospect as Tolle, but he worked his way up the minor leagues and in to the No. 6 spot in Boston's top 30. He posted a 2.60 ERA with 132 strikeouts over 100.1 frames between Double-A and Triple-A, and his dominance gave the Sox the confidence to call him up during a playoff push.
In the major leagues, Early put up a 2.33 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP with 29 strikeouts and four walks over 19.1 innings. His four starts helped the Red Sox keep their pace in the playoff race after injuries decimated much of their starting pitching depth, and he could also have a shot to make the major league roster out of spring training after his stellar late-season showing.
With another top-tier starter addition this offseason and the Sox's young pitchers in the big leagues, their 2026 rotation will be dangerous. Coupled with gritty bats like Roman Anthony, and maybe even an elite slugger like Kyle Schwarber, Boston could find itself in Toronto's position next year. Yesavage has proved throughout the postseason that young players can meet the moment when their teams need them most, even with little experience in the big leagues, which should excite the Red Sox and their fans with a (hopefully) big offseason on the horizon.
Yesavage will definitely be a problem for the Red Sox and other clubs in the American League East for years to come, however. Fortunately, Early and Tolle will be an excellent counter in the Sox's arsenal.