The Toronto Blue Jays’ No. 1 prospect, Trey Yesavage, gets the start for his MLB debut on Monday against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The pregame narrative: Rotation depth hasn’t been an issue for the Blue Jays, but they’ve opted to give their veteran group a breather by calling up the 22-year-old Yesavage. Toronto is just 1-5 vs. Tampa Bay this year, but the teams haven’t squared off since May.
Check out my Blue Jays best bet vs. the Rays for Sept. 15.
Blue Jays best bet vs. Rays
Best bet: Blue Jays moneyline (-120)
You never know exactly what to expect from a pitcher making his MLB debut, but this pick isn’t solely about Yesavage.
Toronto has been the far superior team offensively this season. Check out the difference in production over the past 30 days:
- Blue Jays: 5.85 runs/game, .811 OPS, 124 wRC+
- Rays: 4.38 runs/game, .729 OPS, 100 wRC+
Behind Yesavage, the Blue Jays have six relievers who’ve only worked either once or not at all in the past three days. So there should be plenty of pitching support, and I expect run support, too.
But let’s not forget that Yesavage was locked in during the final stretch of his minor-league tenure.
Over his final five outings with Triple-A Buffalo, Yesavage posted a 2.87 ERA and a 13.2 K/9.
Key stat: Toronto has won four games in a row, while Tampa Bay is 2-7 in its past nine.
Blue Jays best bet made at 11:27 a.m. ET on 09/15/2025.
Jordan enjoys writing data-driven game previews and analysis articles — especially for MLB markets or NFL/NBA props. And as a proud Ohio University grad, he’ll always have a soft spot for college sports (especially if the Bobcats are involved). Previous stops include mlb.com, Sportsnet and The Athletic.