The Philadelphia Phillies may be out of the playoff picture, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a rooting interest left in October. The Toronto Blue Jays are just one win away from capturing the World Series title over the Los Angeles Dodgers — and much of the baseball world is buzzing about their breakout rookie.
Selected 20th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Yesavage didn’t make his big-league debut until Sept. 15 of this year. In his brief regular-season stint, he went 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA and struck out 16 batters over 14 innings.
Since then, he’s become one of the postseason’s biggest surprises — but his story began much closer to home for Phillies fans.
Yesavage, a Pottstown, Pennsylvania native, grew up a devoted Phillies fan before his professional career took him north of the border. Though he now wears Blue Jays blue, his Philly roots run deep. He attended Boyertown High School and later starred at East Carolina University before beginning his rapid rise through Toronto’s system.
Earlier this month, before his postseason breakout, Yesavage told MLB that his favorite player growing up was Ryan Howard — though the first jersey he ever owned was for Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. Even as he now carves out a name for himself on baseball’s biggest stage, it’s clear that his hometown and family are cherishing the moment alongside him.
Just over a year removed from pitching in college, the 22-year-old began 2025 in Single-A and raced through the minors to reach the majors. Now, in his first postseason, he’s taken center stage. Across five playoff starts, Yesavage has gone 3-1 with a 3.46 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 26 innings.
His latest masterpiece came in Game 5 of the World Series, where he dominated for seven innings, allowing just three hits, no walks, and one earned run while striking out 12 — a personal best and a historic mark. He became the first rookie ever to record 12 strikeouts in a World Series game.
A Philly favorite — even in Toronto
Though he’s part of the Blue Jays organization, alongside former Phillies reliever Jeff Hoffman, many in Philadelphia are cheering for him from afar. For local fans, seeing a hometown kid make history on baseball’s biggest stage is something special.
Trey Yesavage’s story is only beginning, but he’s already proven he belongs — a young arm with electric stuff, a calm presence under pressure, and a touch of Philadelphia grit that helped carry him all the way to the majors.