KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Toronto Blue Jays secured their spot in the post-season for the 11th time in franchise history on Sunday, achieving this milestone with an 8-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals. This win was especially significant as it came during a game started by Trey Yesavage, who is projected to be a first-round pick in 2024. Left-handed pitcher Eric Lauer contributed an important inning, showcasing the collective strength of the Blue Jays' lineup.
The match against the Royals was crucial for the Blue Jays, especially as they aimed to break a four-game losing streak that had hindered their celebration and allowed the New York Yankees to close in on their lead in the American League East standings. The Blue Jays took an early lead, effectively countering each run the Royals scored, ultimately exhausting their opponent throughout the game.
Jeff Hoffman secured the victory by closing out the game in the ninth inning, leading the Blue Jays through their usual on-field handshakes following the win. Although clinching the American League East remains a challenge, as the New York Yankees achieved a significant win against the Baltimore Orioles (7-1) that kept them within two games, the Blue Jays now have a crucial week ahead. They need to assess their playoff rotation, focus on the health of players like Anthony Santander and Bo Bichette, and strategize on how best to utilize Yesavage in the playoffs, striving for their first playoff victory since 2016.
The Blue Jays displayed their characteristic opportunistic style of play in the early innings of the game. Davis Schneider began the scoring with a walk, followed by Nathan Lukes who reached base due to a fielding error by Royals' Adam Frazier, thwarting a potential double play. Ernie Clement added to the momentum with a bloop single, and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Andres Gimenez broke out of his slump with a single that brought the first run home. Tyler Heineman executed a safety squeeze, perfectly placing a bunt that allowed Clement to score, and George Springer capped off the inning with an RBI double to left-center.
However, things tightened in the fourth inning as the Royals managed to narrow the score to 3-2. Carter Jensen hit a two-run single, capitalizing on a mishandled ball by Addison Barger that should have resulted in the final out of the inning. The Blue Jays quickly responded in the fifth inning; Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run double, marking his first extra-base hit since September 7. Addison Barger followed suit with an RBI double, breaking an 0-for-14 streak at the plate.
Trey Yesavage returned to the mound for the bottom of the fifth to face the top of the Royals' lineup for the third time. However, Mike Yastrzemski opened the inning with a single, and Bobby Witt Jr.'s line drive seemed catchable but was ruled a single upon video review. This led to Yesavage's exit, with Brendon Little taking over and allowing RBI singles to Maikel Franco and Salvador Perez, which trimmed the Blue Jays' lead to 6-4.
The Royals managed to score another run in the sixth inning, but the Blue Jays answered back with two runs in the eighth thanks to a Clement RBI single and a run-scoring triple by Gimenez. Eric Lauer and Hoffman efficiently closed out the game, maintaining the lead. Although Yesavage's performance didn't match the dominance of his debut, where he struck out nine batters in five innings, he showcased potential as a big-league pitcher, prompting future discussions on his role in the pitching rotation.
