Trey Yesavage rocks back to deliver a pitch and his arm whips down from behind his head as his body tilts to the left, the highest arm slot of any right-handed pitcher this postseason.
“I’m sure some people think that would hurt to go all the way up there,” Toronto’s 22-year-old rookie said. “Everyone thinks it’s unique, which it is.”
Yesavage starts Game 5 of the World Series for the Blue Jays tonight in his fifth postseason outing after just three career regular-season starts. He allowed two runs over four innings in the opener against the Dodgers, lacking the explosive fastball that dominated the New York Yankees for 5 1/3 hitless innings in the AL Division Series.
His 65-degree arm angle was exceeded in the postseason only by Alex Vesia’s, at 67. Vesia, a 29-year-old Dodgers left-hander, is missing the World Series because of a personal matter.
Yesavage’s arm slot caused a release point 7.09 feet above the field, according to MLB Statcast, the second-highest among starting pitchers with at least 200 regular-season pitches, behind Justin Verlander’s 7.1.
“Some of that has to do with mobility and being younger,” said 37-year-old Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen. “You just hope that they can find a way to stay healthy and mobile.”