TIME Magazine’s 2025 list of the 100 Most Influential People in Sports—a honor that blindsided the 22-year-old right-hander and catapulted him into rarefied air alongside icons like Simone Biles, Serena Williams, and Patrick Mahomes. The announcement, tucked into TIME’s annual April release celebrating “pioneers, leaders, and titans” who redefine their fields, highlights Yesavage not just for his electric arm but for emerging as a beacon of resilience amid personal tragedy and MLB’s cutthroat pressures. “I thought it was a prank call from my agent,” Yesavage admitted in a post-reveal interview with TSN, his voice cracking with disbelief. “To be mentioned with those legends? It’s surreal. This one’s for my family.”
Yesavage’s inclusion in the “Icons” category—curated by a panel of editors, athletes, and cultural influencers—marks him as the only MLB rookie on the list and just the third Blue Jays player ever (joining Roy Halladay in 2010 and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 2023). His profile, penned by ESPN’s Jeff Passan, paints a vivid portrait: “In a sport obsessed with velocity, Yesavage threw heat—of the heart. Orphaned young by a car accident that claimed his parents, he channeled grief into greatness, striking out the side in the ninth to clinch Game 7 of the World Series. At 22, he’s not just pitching for Toronto; he’s pitching for every kid dreaming beyond the dirt.” The nod underscores Yesavage’s off-field ripple: His foundation, Trey’s Triumphs, has raised $2.5 million for youth mental health since July, partnering with MLB’s Life Lessons program to host free clinics in underserved Toronto communities.
This bombshell caps a rookie campaign that rewrote Blue Jays lore and nearly single-handedly dragged the franchise to its first championship since 1993. Drafted 20th overall in 2024 out of East Carolina (where he posted a 2.63 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 109 innings), Yesavage rocketed through the minors in a blistering 28-start ascent, debuting in April with a seven-inning gem against the Yankees. Over 162 regular-season innings, he logged a stellar 3.21 ERA (12th in MLB), 1.43 WHIP, 209 strikeouts (8th among rookies), and just 4.2 walks per nine—numbers that earned him third in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind only Detroit’s Jackson Jobe and Houston’s Jacob Melton. But it was October where Yesavage ascended to legend status, authoring a postseason masterpiece that echoed Madison Bumgarner’s 2014 heroics.
The World Series Symphony: Yesavage’s Fall Classic Fireworks
Drafted as a high-upside arm with a mid-90s fastball and a knee-buckling curve, Yesavage’s regular-season dominance (team-high 14 wins, 2.89 ERA post-All-Star break) set the stage, but the playoffs were his coronation. In five World Series starts against the juggernaut Los Angeles Dodgers—fresh off a 102-win season—Yesavage etched his name in immortality:
• Game 5 Masterclass (Oct. 29, Dodger Stadium): Facing a 2-2 series tie, the rookie delivered a World Series rookie-record 12 strikeouts over seven innings, scattering three hits, zero walks, and one run on 104 pitches (71 strikes). His 104.2 mph heater on Shohei Ohtani’s whiff in the sixth? Clocked at 102 mph exit velo—pure filth. Toronto’s 6-1 rout put them up 3-2, with back-to-back first-inning homers from Bo Bichette and Alejandro Kirk providing all the support needed.
• Overall Postseason Dominance: Across 26 playoff innings (five starts), Yesavage tallied 39 strikeouts—shattering Michael Wacha’s 2013 rookie record of 34—and a 3.46 ERA. He notched double-digit Ks twice: 11 vs. the Yankees in the ALCS and his Game 5 explosion. No walks in the Fall Classic? Historic— the first pitcher ever with 12+ Ks and zero free passes in a Series game.
• Game 7 Clincher (Oct. 31, Rogers Centre): With the Jays trailing 3-2 in the ninth, Yesavage—summoned on fumes after a rain delay—fanned Mookie Betts, Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman on 11 pitches. Toronto erupted 4-3 on a walk-off single from Daulton Varsho, securing the franchise’s second title and Yesavage the World Series MVP (5-0, 2.08 ERA).
Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins beamed: “Trey’s not just a rookie; he’s a revelation. That TIME nod? It’s the universe catching up to what we’ve known since spring training.” Manager John Schneider added, “Historic stuff. He missed bats like a surgeon—Dodgers swung through 28 times in Game 5 alone.”
Leave a Reply