It was a legendary performance for the ages. Rookie Trey Yesavage simply dominated the most star-studded lineup in baseball in Game 5 of the World Series with a showing that will go down not only in Toronto Blue Jays’ lore but in baseball history itself.
After the 22-year-old’s 12-strikeout, zero-walk, seven-inning shutdown of the Los Angeles Dodgers gave the Jays a 3-2 series lead, talk began to circulate about the greatest pitching performances ever by a Blue Jay. With that, let’s have a look at the top 3 all-time outings in franchise history, and where Yesavage ranks (as if you didn’t know).
3. Brandon Morrow, Aug. 8th, 2010
It’s a game—and a pitcher, to be honest—that’s long forgotten in Blue Jays’ lore. But Brandon Morrow put on one of the greatest pitching performances of this century back on August 8th, 2010. He took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, only to have it snapped with two outs on an Evan Longoria infield single off the glove of a diving Aaron Hill.
But to get to that point, Morrow struck out 17 Tampa Bay Rays, against just two walks. His 17 Ks left him one short of Roger Clemens for the franchise record.
Morrow would go on to finish that season with a 4.49 ERA, though his 10.9 K/9 was among the best in the league. His five-year run in Toronto finished with an unremarkable 4.40 ERA in 100 appearances, 93 starts. But that one magical game on Aug. 8, 2010 will always remain a top Blue Jays pitching performance.
Dave Stieb finally gets his no-no
2. Dave Stieb, Sept. 2, 1990
Generally regarded as the best pitcher in franchise history, Stieb was a seven-time All-Star and the ace of the Blue Jays staff for over a decade. But he was also the most snakebit pitcher ever to pull on a Jays jersey, as he agonizingly watched four no-hit bids get snuffed out in the ninth inning over a five-year period. Three of them with two outs, two of them in back-to-back starts in 1988, and one of them a perfect game bid. Talk about heartbreak.
But finally, on Sept. 2, 1990, Stieb got his no-hitter—still the only one in Blue Jays history. He defeated the Cleveland Indians 3-0, with nine strikeouts and four walks. He would finish that season 18-6 with a 2.93 ERA. And one huge monkey off his back.
Trey’s ‘Savage’ mowing down of the Dodgers
1. Trey Yesavage, Oct. 29, 2025
What can we say that hasn’t already been said about Trey Yesavage’s historical performance in Game 5 of the World Series? We’ll let the record book do the talking:
- Only pitcher in MLB history to record 12 strikeouts with no walks in a World Series game
- 12 strikeouts for a rookie in a World Series game (Don Newcombe, 11 Ks, 1949)
- Youngest pitcher ever with at least 10 strikeouts in a World Series game (22 yrs, 94 days)
- Tied World Series record by striking out all nine batters in the opposition’s starting lineup at least once (Randy Johnson, 2001; Bob Gibson, 1968)
- First rookie pitcher with multiple 10-strikeout games in a single postseason (also did it vs. New York Yankees in ALDS)
After starting his 2025 campaign in Low-A ball pitching in front of 328 fans, to Game 5 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium in front of 52,175, even Yesavage realized this was a Hollywood script that could never have been dreamed up.
Now, the Blue Jays are just looking for one more win for the final chapter in this script that’s been 32 years in the making.
