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Trey Yesavage’s final start of a wild 2025 season, which began in Single-A ball to pitch his second World Series game for the Toronto Blue Jays, ends with a decisive masterpiece.
Yesavage, the 22-year-old who worked his way through the Blue Jays’ minor league system to eventually cement himself as a key member of this postseason run, delivered a seven-inning masterclass on the mound at Dodger Stadium to help Toronto defeat Los Angeles, 6-1, in Game 5 of the World Series.
Thanks to the efforts of Yesavage, and some more timely hitting from this Blue Jays lineup, Toronto is headed north with just one more win to clinch the World Series.
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Trey Yesavage of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning of Game Five of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Yesavage struck out 12 Dodgers batters and allowed just three hits and one earned run over a 104-pitch performance that saw 10 of those strikeouts in the first five innings of the contest.
The only other person to do that in MLB history? Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax, who was right behind home plate watching Game 5 at Dodger Stadium.
In Game 1, Yesavage didn’t have his go-to pitch, a sharp falling splitter, which forced him to use his slider more often than he was used to. As a result, he was touched by the Dodgers, even though the Blue Jays’ own offensive attack resulted in a Game 1 win at home.
This time, Yesavage had the perfect touch with the pitch, and the Dodgers couldn’t figure it out like the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners before them this postseason. The slider was also quite complementary with his mid-90s fastball keeping hitters honest at the plate.
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And it also helped that Yesavage had some quick insurance runs on the scoreboard as his opponent, Blake Snell, allowed two solo home runs in the first three pitches of the game.
First, it was Davis Schneider who took the first pitch he saw over the fence to set the tone immediately for Toronto. Then Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s dream postseason continued when he hit his eighth home run in October to make it 2-0 in favor of the road team in the decisive Game 5.
In the bottom of the third, Yesavage’s only blemish of the game came on a 2-0 count to Enrique Hernandez, who didn’t budge on a splitter up in the zone. He turned and parked it as the baseball flew over the left field fence, re-energizing the Dodger Stadium crowd that had been lifeless since the Guerrero homer.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays hits a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of Game Five of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
But that didn’t last long as the Blue Jays answered in the next frame. Teoscar Hernandez overplayed a Daulton Varsho hit to right field and it cost him as Varsho sprinted all the way to third base. Ernie Clement would hit a sacrifice fly to score him and take back the two-run lead.
As Yesavage kept cruising, the Blue Jays widened the gap needed to come away with the win in the top of the seventh when Addison Barger scored on a single and three wild pitches, while Bo Bichette singled home Andres Gimenez to make it a 5-1 ballgame. Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s single in the top of the eighth was added insurance as Clement came around to score.
With Yesavage’s night complete, Blue Jays manager John Schneider walked Seranthony Dominguez and closer Jeff Hoffman to close the door on Game 5, and that’s exactly what they did to give themselves two chances to clinch the franchise’s first World Series since 1993.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers, winners of last year’s World Series, have their backs against the wall. They will need to win the next two games to retain their title, and they will need the right man on the mound to do so.
Trey Yesavage of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates after a double play to end the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Five of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is looking for his third straight complete game as he was a much-needed lead in Game 2’s win for Los Angeles. He will face Kevin Gausman, who was having a great performance until he gave up some solo homers in Game 2 in Toronto.
First pitch in Game 6 comes on Halloween night in Toronto at 8:08 p.m. ET.
