AL DIVISION SERIES: YANKEES VS BLUE JAYS

October 5, 2025

Trey Yesavage

Rogers Centre

Toronto Blue Jays

Postgame 2 Press Conference

Blue Jays - 13, Yankees - 7

Q. How are you feeling right now, Trey, with all this going on? How does this feel for you?

TREY YESAVAGE: This has got to be cloud nine. I couldn't imagine a better feeling right now.

Q. You did this with your family in the stands and in the broadcast a ton. You made a hundred calls to them this year about going up levels, up levels. What does it mean to have this moment with your folks watching?

TREY YESAVAGE: It's special. They've been with me from age 4 in tee ball all the way up to now, 22, and playing in the Major Leagues. They've been there every step of the way. They've been my biggest supporters. They're the best parents I could have ever asked for.

Q. How does it feel to pitch so well that when your manager came in to take you out, he got booed?

TREY YESAVAGE: I know the fans probably wanted me to stay out there, but it's the smart thing to do, up -- what were we, 12 runs at that time -- to not push it. So it is what it is.

Q. From the first inning, the first strikeout, the fans, you had 44,000 people on their feet every time you got two strikes. What was that like to experience?

TREY YESAVAGE: It's something I've never felt before. The energy and the passion that this fan base has, all 44,000 people that were here tonight, it's special. I mean, they're the reason I had so much juice and life in me, and I thank them for it.

Q. We know you're confident and we know you have a lot of trust in your stuff. How much did that, what you did today, exceed even your greatest expectations for what today could have been?

TREY YESAVAGE: I was just doing what I feel comfortable doing, throwing splits late in the count, and it just so happens they were swinging and missing at a bunch of them and chasing them down. I didn't change anything. I just was the Trey that I usually am, and it really worked out tonight.

Q. Before the game, when you're thinking in your head, maybe this will be a good day, maybe six clean innings, whatever it is in your head, how much did what you do exceed what you thought you might be able to do?

TREY YESAVAGE: I was sitting in there thinking about the comment I made the other day, where I said I'm built for this. And I was like, well, I'd better back that up. I wanted to go out there and do the best I possibly could. Thankfully it stayed true to that.

Q. When you're in the middle of a game like that and you see the reaction of the Yankees batters as they have no answer for you, is there an intimidation factor for you? Do you feel you've got the upper hand when you see that type of reaction?

TREY YESAVAGE: Definitely. I was in control all night. Kirky was calling a great game, didn't shake him off once, and when the ball was put into play, the defense was making plays. All around, it was a great defensive performance.

Q. Watching you pitch, it was very quick to see you get the ball, throw the ball, and really making the Yankees hitters kind of figure out what just happened there as they're trying to figure out where the release is and what the pitch is and all that kind of stuff. I wonder what it was like for you when you've got to wait because your team is scoring two, three, six runs in an inning. What's it like in the dugout?

TREY YESAVAGE: I try to keep moving around, but mentally I'm thrilled because, if they're not scoring runs, we're kind of in trouble there. But the offense put up when I finished, 12 runs, and that exceeded my expectations drastically. I was able to go out there and pitch freely.

Q. Watching your dad high-fiving everyone constantly through the game was just so emotional. What was it like for you being on that mound, throwing pitches to people who you grew up watching? Is this a dream come true? Has it hit you yet?

TREY YESAVAGE: It is a dream come true, and I'm sure tonight when I'm laying in bed in New York, that it will really hit me. My dad, it's his signature move. He's been doing it for years. When I was in college, would run around our basement when they're watching the game on TV high-fiving everyone.

Yeah, I'm sure it will sink in later tonight.

Q. A bunch of your teammates and your manager have been up here the last day or so talking about kind of your calmness and your poise and your maturity. Do you feel like you've always kind of had that when you're on the mound, or when did you kind of develop those traits?

TREY YESAVAGE: I feel like for the most part I've always had that. I would say in college is when I really learned that, just talking about like the mental game and not getting too high, but not getting too low. Like if something goes bad, just brush it off. But if something goes really good, still being able to brush it off and move on to the next pitch.

Q. First of all, Fernando Parra sent a message from Nicaragua to you, a former teammate in Vancouver, saying he's proud of you. The second thing, at any moment in the Minor Leagues help you to build what you are right now?

TREY YESAVAGE: Yeah, every stop of the way, I learned something new because it was a new group of coaches, support staff, and teammates. Just making friends, learning stuff, talking to coaches, pitching coaches, nutritionists, whatever it is. I've learned something new at every single level.

Q. You broke the record for most strikeouts by a rookie pitcher in franchise history. Vlady also hit the first grand slam in franchise postseason history. So how special does that make the day for you?

TREY YESAVAGE: Really special. I mean, hitting a grand -- I didn't know the grand slam was the first one in franchise history. I mean, being able to put up four runs just like that is special to any pitcher.

Then for myself, I couldn't do this without my teammates. They've been in my corner. They've made crazy plays behind me the four starts I've been here, and I'm just very, very lucky to be a part of this organization today.

Q. I'm assuming last year at this time you were probably in Instructs just having gotten drafted, you're watching the Yankees in the World Series. I know they don't have names on the backs of these jerseys, but how do you separate that's Aaron Judge in there, that's Giancarlo Stanton, these are the people I'm pitching to, to just sort of see them as just another hitter I have to get out?

TREY YESAVAGE: You've got to treat it like you're in control and you're confident in your own stuff. If you're up there worried about the hitter and his talent, you're not going to execute how you want to. You're not going to be able to make the pitches that you want to. So it's just the belief in yourself, the belief in your stuff, the belief in your catcher that sets apart the aspect of worrying about the hitter.

Q. On a day like this where a million things happen, is there a singular moment you think you'll remember most about this day?

TREY YESAVAGE: Probably the curtain call. That was special having all of -- and walking off the mound and having all of this place standing on their feet and just showing support for me is very special.

Q. You got some pretty experienced and accomplished teammates. Did you have a chance to chat with them at all about your outing? What did they maybe say to you as the game was coming to an end?

TREY YESAVAGE: I talked to a bunch of the guys on the starting staff, and they were just saying congrats, that was special, whatnot. Some of them were saying that I called that. They were in my corner from the jump.

Q. I'm just wondering, that first inning after walking Judge, you go 2-0 to Bellinger and ask for a new ball, step off the mound, grab the rosin bag. What are you thinking in that moment or saying to yourself there?

TREY YESAVAGE: I'm just trying to reset, get in control of my breath, and just keep my heart rate down. Not let the game speed up on me and just focus on whatever the next pitch I have to make is. I walked him on, I believe, four pitches. And they weren't bad pitches, they weren't bad misses. So I was just recentering myself to just make minor adjustments to get back in the zone.

Q. Who pushed you out for the curtain call? Did someone tell you to go do it?

TREY YESAVAGE: Pretty much the entire dugout was telling me to. Springer was definitely there, one of the high advocates for it. But it was a dugout -- it was the whole dugout.