The first pitch of the 2025 World Series will be thrown by Trey Yesavage, as the Toronto Blue Jays named the rookie righty their starter for Game 1 against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday.

The Blue Jays turn to Yesavage to make the biggest start of the season – and by far of his career – after top starter Kevin Gausman pitched out of the bullpen in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Monday.

Yesavage has been a revelation for the Blue Jays since making his MLB debut in September. The lanky righty has made three starts in the postseason, picking up two wins and a loss.

He overwhelmed the New York Yankees in his postseason debut in the AL Division Series, setting a franchise record with 11 strikeouts in 5.1 hitless innings in a 13-7 win in Game 2 of that series.

Yesavage coughed up five runs in a 10-3 loss in Game 2 of the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners but bounced back in a big way in Game 6, where he allowed two runs over 5.2 innings in the 6-2 victory.

Overall, Yesavage has a 4.20 earned-run average with 22 strikeouts over 15.0 innings pitched in the postseason.

A big part of trusting Yesavage in the playoffs for manager John Schneider has boiled down to unfamiliarity for the opponent. Yesavage delivers a devastating splitter from an unusually high arm angle that has left opposing hitters off balance.

“He has the stuff … We feel pretty good about him, the pitcher, and what he can do,” Schneider said to reporters ahead of the ALDS against the Yankees. “A little bit of unfamiliarity … I think is a good thing.”

That unfamiliarity could be key for the 22-year-old in containing a Dodgers lineup that contains a multitude of dangerous hitters – including a trio of elite lefty hitters in three-time Most Valuable Player Shohei Ohtani, former MVP and defending World Series MVP Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy.

Ohtani’s otherworldly efforts in Game 4 of the National League CS against the Milwaukee Brewers – where he pitched six shutout innings and hit three home runs – keyed the Dodgers to a series sweep.

In three starts in the regular season, Yesavage allowed only five hits to lefty batters, with a .161 average and .451 on-base plug slugging against.

Multiple options considered for Bichette

Toronto could be getting a major boost to the batting order with a potential return to the lineup of shortstop Bo Bichette for the World Series.

Bichette has not played in a game since Sept. 6 against the Yankees, where he suffered a knee injury making an awkward slide into home plate.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Schneider would not commit to Bichette being a part of the roster. He said that Bichette still has “a few more boxes to check” before he can be penciled in to the lineup, and that the 27-year-old could be used at shortstop, second base or designated hitter, depending on how his on-field work goes on Thursday.

Bichette has never played second base in the majors, and has 716 appearances at shortstop – with just 31 at designated hitter in his seven-year career.

The main draw is the ability at the plate. Bichette experienced a return to form in 2025, tying a career high with a .311 batting average to go along with 18 home runs and 94 RBI – all major improvements over his 2024 totals, where he hit .225 with four home runs and 31 RBI. He was named a finalist for the Silver Slugger Award at shortstop earlier on Thursday.

If Bichette is not deemed healthy enough to play the field defensively, Schneider told reporters that George Springer is ready to play in the outfield to open up the designated hitter spot.

Springer, who hit the dramatic three-run homer to propel the Blue Jays over the Mariners in Game 7 of the ALCS, was used primarily as the DH throughout the season. He was named a finalist for the Silver Slugger Award at outfielder and designated hitter, despite playing in only 54 games as an outfielder in the regular season.

The deadline for the teams to submit their roster for the World Series is 10a.m. ET on Friday; Bichette has not appeared on the Blue Jays roster in the ALDS or ALCS.

The World Series gets underway at 8 p.m. ET on Friday in Toronto.