"The first reason for optimism is that Yesavage throws quality pitches. His fastball sat at 94.7 mph during the regular season, and his devastating splitter came as advertised. His slider is another funky weapon, and he's apparently been tinkering with a curveball as well this offseason. His success wasn't a case of getting lucky with an underwhelming repertoire; Yesavage has the tools needed to get major league hitters out."
"It's true that Yesavage's extreme release point certainly caught many teams off guard when they faced them for the first time. It's also true that the best start of his life came in his second go-around against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series. He proved that he isn't just a gimmick pitcher who relies on surprising batters to be successful. He can dominate hitters when he's on, regardless of whether they have seen him before."
Trey Yesavage remains technically a rookie in 2026 despite a standout postseason run that produced some of the franchise's best pitching performances. Teams will be more prepared for him now that his element of surprise is reduced, but his pitch quality supports optimism. His fastball averaged 94.7 mph, his splitter is a devastating out pitch, his slider adds deception, and he has tinkered with a curveball. He delivered a dominant Game 5 World Series start, proving effectiveness beyond surprise. Projections target a 3.83 ERA over 130 innings with a 25.9% strikeout rate. Command is the main concern, with projections near a 9.9% walk rate after 18 walks in 41 2/3 innings.
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