LOS ANGELES — Under the electric atmosphere of Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night, Toronto Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage delivered a pitching performance that instantly stamped his name into World Series history. The 22-year-old right-hander stunned a sold-out Los Angeles crowd with a jaw-dropping 12 strikeouts over seven innings in Game 5, breaking a 75-year-old record previously held by Don Newcombe of the 1949 Brooklyn Dodgers. Yesavage’s dominant outing wasn’t just impressive—it was historic.
From the opening pitch, Yesavage looked calm, confident, and composed. His slider carried late bite, his splitter danced away from bats, and his pinpoint command forced Dodgers hitters into uncomfortable counts all night long. Even more remarkable, he didn’t walk a single batter, making his 12 strikeouts the most ever in a World Series game without issuing a walk. That level of control is rare at any age—doing it at 22 is nearly unheard of.
His first-five innings were a sight baseball fans won’t soon forget. Yesavage became just the second pitcher in World Series history to record at least 10 strikeouts through five innings, joining none other than Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax, who accomplished the feat in 1963. Anytime a pitcher’s name is mentioned alongside Koufax, it’s clear something special just happened.
Age added even more weight to the moment. At 22 years and 93 days, Yesavage is now the youngest pitcher to reach double-digit strikeouts in a World Series game, surpassing Smoky Joe Wood’s record from 1912. That mark stood for more than a century—until Wednesday night.
And the advanced analytics back up the eye test. With pitch-tracking systems recording every movement since 2008, data confirmed that Yesavage generated 23 swings and misses, including 14 on his slider and seven on his splitter. Both totals now sit at the top of the record books for a World Series game tracked by modern technology.
This wasn’t Yesavage’s first October masterpiece, either. Earlier in the postseason, he recorded 11 strikeouts in Game 2 of the American League Division Series, making him the first rookie in MLB postseason history to record multiple 10-strikeout games. For the Blue Jays, the future on the mound suddenly looks brighter than ever.
Perhaps the most eye-opening statistic of the night was that Yesavage struck out all nine Dodgers hitters in the starting lineup at least once. Only two pitchers had ever accomplished that feat in World Series history: Bob Gibson in 1968 and Randy Johnson in 2001. That’s exclusive company reserved for the game’s most feared arms.
The Dodgers dugout spent most of the night searching for answers. Their hitters seemed frozen between guessing on breaking balls and chasing high heat. Even the crowd—known for its energy and noise—grew notably quiet once Yesavage began carving through the lineup repeatedly.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider praised the young star, calling him “unshakable on the biggest stage.” Toronto fans have embraced Yesavage as their newest postseason hero, and the clubhouse has rallied around his competitive fire. For a franchise still pushing to relive its glory days from the early ’90s, a fearless ace might be exactly what they’ve been missing.
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts credited Yesavage’s deception and movement, noting that his pitches “looked identical out of the hand.” For hitters, that’s a nightmare scenario in October.
As Game 5 concluded, the baseball world took notice. Social media erupted, analysts compared Yesavage to legendary postseason arms, and fans already began arguing where this performance ranks among the greatest rookie outings ever delivered. Meanwhile, his teammates greeted him with long embraces and loud cheers in the dugout—a sign that they know history just unfolded in front of them.
With the series tightening and momentum shifting, Toronto now holds a stunning advantage heading into the weekend. If the Blue Jays complete their championship run, this Game 5 performance will be remembered as the turning point—the moment when a rookie stood toe-to-toe with pressure and refused to blink.
For now, one thing is certain: Trey Yesavage isn’t just having a great postseason. He’s rewriting the record books and announcing himself as baseball’s next superstar. And at only 22 years old, this might just be the beginning.