Trey Yesavage was back on the mound in Dunedin, Fla. on Wednesday.
As Toronto Blue Jays spring training gets going on Wednesday, there's a handful of early updates to note on the reigning American League Champions.
1) The injury situation is bleak
This came out on Tuesday, but it bears repeating here. Starting pitcher Shane Bieber will begin the year on the injured list because of forearm fatigue and depth starter Bowden Francis will miss the entire season because of Tommy John surgery.
Furthermore, Anthony Santander, who signed a five-year deal before the 2025 season, will miss 5-6 months with a torn labrum/surgery. We covered how this story impacts the rest of the outfield situation earlier on Wednesday.
There are several players who will now get a shot to earn playing time in his absence.
2) Trey Yesavage back on the mound
A first-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2024, Yesavage shot through the minors in 2025, appearing in the big leagues in September and October. The 22-year-old went 1-0 in three starts down the stretch and then won games in the American League Division Series, American League Championship Series and World Series. His performance in Game 6 of the ALCS saved Toronto's season and his 12-strikeout win in Game 5 of the World Series was lights out as well.
He will pair with Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Jose Berrios and Cody Ponce in the starting rotation, though it remains unclear what his workload will be like in 2026. It's hard to imagine Toronto giving him a full season's worth of work after just one professional campaign.
3) The bullpen just got an opening
With Bieber healthy, it was likely that Berrios was going to end up in the bullpen. With Berrios now needing to slot into the rotation, there's an additional opening for a reliever.
Right now, the guarantees are Jeff Hoffman, Louis Varland, Tyler Rogers, Mason Fluharty, Yimi Garcia and Eric Lauer.
This could re-open the door for Yariel Rodriguez, who was outrighted off the 40-man roster earlier this offseason.
4) Former Jays All-Star drawing interest on FA market
According to Francys Romero on social media, former Jays INF Santiago Espinal has some suitors this offseason.
Dominican free agent Santiago Espinal (31) has been training hard throughout the entire offseason with Yunieski Gurriel, brother of Yuli and Lourdes Jr.
Several MLB teams are interested in signing Espinal.
A six-year veteran of the Jays and Cincinnati Reds, he made the All-Star Game in 2022, hitting .267 with seven homers and 51 RBIs. The Blue Jays made the playoffs that season.
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