The Toronto Blue Jays entered play on Thursday a game and a half out of a wild card spot.
After selling at the deadline, the Blue Jays still have a chance to get in. Even though they got rid of some starters, they did make a trade to add Jose Soriano. Soriano and Dylan Cease are a duo that can create problems for other teams in October, but having Trey Yesavage healthy could give the Blue Jays a real chance at making a run.
Yesavage is on the injured list after undergoing knee surgery to repair his meniscus. He was having a great season before the injury, and getting him back could make things very interesting for the Blue Jays. He is scheduled to throw off a mound in Florida on Friday as he attempts to get back, per MLB.com's Keegan Matheson.
The ideal plan for Yesavage, according to Matheson, is two bullpens, facing live hitters and then game action. If he is not ready for game action by Sept. 20, he will have to throw a "sim game" as Triple-A Buffalo will be done with their season by then. Schneider told Matheson that Yesavage will need "at least a game" to prove he's ready.
“If that goes well,” Schneider said per Matheson, “we’ll see if he can help us out in some capacity.”
Yesavage may not be ready to be used like a traditional starter, but simply having him helps the bullpen. He could be used behind an opener as a bulk pitcher, or as a long relief option.
“That would make it interesting for a bullpen-y bulk day, with him being part of it,” Schneider said. “That would be nice. It just depends on how much time he’s missed, how much he can build up. Is it an inning or two? Is it three or four? We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”