Rookie pitcher makes World Series history as Blue Jays take 3-2 lead over Dodgers ahead of return to Toronto

Trey Yesavage possesses possibly the best story of any player in this World Series. The Pennsylvania native began his 2025 season in Low-A ball before quickly progressing through High-A, Double-A and Triple-A before finally making his MLB debut this past September.

Now there's a new page to the tale. The 22-year-old pitched a near-flawless Game 5 of the World Series and set the record for the most strikeouts by a rookie in a single game of the Fall Classic.

Yesavage's 12 strikeouts earned the record, but also tied him for the sixth most K's in a single World Series game as he led the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-1 victory and a 3-2 series lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Now, with the series heading back to Canada, the Jays will look to win their first title in 32 years.

Those 12 K's tied Yesavage with Tom Seaver, Walter Johnson, Orlando 'El Duque' Hernandez, Bill Donovan, Ed Walsh, and Mort Cooper on the leaderboard. Only Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Carl Erskine, and Howard Ehmke have struck out more than him.

Yesavage's shift ended after 104 pitches, 71 of which were strikes. He was embraced in the dugout by his teammates and manager John Schneider as he kept the bats of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and more at bay after allowing just three hits and one earned run. 

Not only did he strikeout 12 batters, he also did it without walking anyone. According to MLB stats savant Sarah Langs, that is a first among all World Series pitchers. 

The Blue Jays dominated this game from the first pitch, literally. Dodgers starter Blake Snell's very first toss from the mound was sent over the wall by Davis Schneider to take a 1-0 lead.

Two pitches later, Toronto star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. launched a 394-foot homer of his own to go up 2-0.

Yesavage would give up his only blemish of the night in the bottom of the third inning when Enrique 'Kike' Hernandez hit a solo home run.

But it was all Toronto from there. Ernie Clement scored outfielder Daulton Varsho on a sac-fly in the fourth, Addison Barger ran home on a wild pitch, Bo Bichette scored Andres Gimenez on a single and then Isiah Kiner-Falefa brought home Clement on a single of his own to bring us to a 6-1 final score.

Now, Toronto is hoping to end the 2025 World Series at their home stadium - the same way they did it back in 1993, when Joe Carter launched a walk-off homer to win the Blue Jays' second-consecutive title.

Game 6 of the World Series is on Friday night. Kevin Gausman is expected to get the start for the Blue Jays while the Dodgers will turn to Yoshinobu Yamamoto.