Everyone was thinking that the Blue Jays would lose Game 1 against the Yankees. For instance, Stephen Nesbitt, in his postseason preview, predicted the Yankees as the winner of the ALDS. However, the Jays have changed the scenario after winning Game 1 with a 10-1 score. Now, it is time for Game 2, and the Jays have turned heads by providing Trey Yesavage the ball for Game 2 against the Yankees. This is a stage that could either rattle the rookie or make him a hero of the team. After Kevin Gausman established the tone in the last game with an elite performance, all eyes will now be on Yesavage.

The rookie’s journey to this stage has been nothing short of remarkable. He reached this stage in less than a year by climbing through four minor league levels before his MLB debut on September 15. After three big-league starts, the star has got the task to help the Jays secure a dominating 2-0 series lead before entering the Yankees’ playground.“I was very excited. I mean, he [John Schneider] pulled me in and told me that I was going, and I was beyond floored,” Yesavage said, highlighting the moment he learned related to his Game 2 assignment. “This is my fifth team I’ve been with. I’ve met the entire organization. But being here in this spot, I couldn’t have drawn it up any better”, he added.

The news came forward shortly after the Jays’ emphatic win, tied for the most lopsided postseason win. Kevin Gausman guided the team with 5.2 innings of one-run ball and earned praise from all the other stars. “That’s our leader. Our fearless leader went out there, just shoved. He did exactly what Kevin does,” said reliever Louis Varland. Jeff Hoffman said that Kevin is “super efficient,” while Nathan Lukes added, “Gausy was lights out pretty much the whole time. If he got those calls at the bottom of the zone, I thought he was going all nine.” Gausman’s game did not just increase the confidence on the field; it provided the team’s offense breathing room to erupt early.

For his part, Yesavage has not faced Aaron Boone’s team yet; however, he is getting prepared with every ounce of elite wisdom available. “This is a veteran staff that I’m very fortunate to be thrown into,” Yesavage said. “I’ve chatted with every single one of those guys because they’ve all had different experiences”, he added. Among those veterans, Gausman shines out not just for an elite pitching however, for his postseason know-how. As Hazel Mae said, Gausman reminded other stars of the team— specifically, the newcomers — to brace for the Rogers Centre noise. “The guys are fired up to see how crazy these Canadians are going to be,” Gauman said to them.

Such a situation could be a double-edged sword for Yesavage; however, the rookie thinks that his college experience will support him to play the game. “Playing in front of a bunch of rowdy fans and then going on the road to a bunch of fans that hate you… being able to stay even keel and not ride the highs and lows, just being calm and controlling my breath,” Yesavage said. The rookie’s outward calm has already impressed other stars of the team like George Springer, and with the Yankees desperate to bounce back, that poise could prove vital. Against Max Fried, the Yankees’ Cy Young-caliber ace, Yesavage does not need to outduel him: the star just needs to keep the Jays in the fight long enough for the other elite red-hot bats to make noise again.

The Jays are showing confidence after the rise of Yesavage and Kevin Gausman’s veteran effect. However, the team has another story to celebrate.

George Springer’s historic OPS leap puts him among legends as Blue Jays aim to finish the job in Game 2

George Springer’s 2025 season is not just a comeback story. It is the greatest single-season turnarounds in current baseball history when we focus on the numbers. After posting an average of .674 OPS in 2924, multiple fans thought that the veteran star was going to exit his elite period. However, in 2025, the star erupted with an elite .959 OPS and a jaw-dropping more than 0.285 enhancement, and it ranked as the third-biggest jump since 1950 for stars with more than 500 plate appearances in consecutive seasons.

The two stars ahead of George Springer are Al Kaline with +.315 from 1954 to 1955 and Adrian Beltre with +.303 from 2003 to 2004. The team stars revered right-handed hitters who turned breakout keaos into legendary careers. That is a legendary company, and Springer’s rise has come at the right time for the Jays, chasing a postseason title. Once written off as “past his peak,” the star is now an offensive engine and driving the team’s October hopes.

Springer’s rise is more than just data. It is symbolic of the Jays’ 2025 season narrative: underestimated, revitalized, and dangerous when it matters most. If the star continues to provide such an elite performance, then with the help of other elite stars, Kavin Gausman and Yesavage, the Blue Jays will wear the title.