Rookie Trey Yesavage to start World Series opener for Blue Jays, just his 7th big league game

TORONTO (AP) — Rookie Trey Yesavage will start Friday night’s World Series opener for the Toronto Blue Jays against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Blake Snell, giving the 22-year-old more postseason starts than career regular-season outings.

Yesavage, who debuted on Sept. 15, will be making his fourth postseason start.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Thursday he wasn't ready to announce his Game 2 starter from among Kevin Gausman, Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber.

Selected 20th overall in last year’s amateur draft from East Carolina University, Yesavage began the season at Class A Dunedin, was promoted to High-A Vancouver on May 20, Double-A New Hampshire on June 12 and Triple-A Buffalo on Aug. 12.

He was 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA in three starts in September, striking out 16 in 14 innings, helped by a devastating splitter, with seven walks.

Yesavage beat the New York Yankees with 5 1/3 scoreless, hitless innings in Game 2 of the Division Series as he struck out 11, lost Game 2 of the AL Championship Series when he allowed five runs in four innings, then won Game 6 of the ALCS on Sunday when he gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Gausman threw 19 pitches in relief in Game 7 of the ALCS on Monday against Seattle, three days after he tossed 91 pitches in his Game 5 start.