The first pitch of the 2025 World Series will be thrown by rookie Trey Yesavage.
Manager John Schneider announced Thursday that the right-hander will start Friday’s Game 1 for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Dodgers announced previously that they would be sending out lefty Blake Snell.
Live coverage of the World Series will be available on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+, beginning with Friday’s Game 1 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
Yesavage, 22, is set for his fourth post-season start after beginning the season in single-A and climbing through every level of the organization before arriving with the Blue Jays in September.
His last outing came on Sunday, meaning he’ll be on regular rest for Game 1.
Over three regular-season starts, he posted a 3.21 ERA with 16 strikeouts and seven walks over 14 innings.
He was at his most dominant in Game 2 of the ALDS against the New York Yankees, when he put up 5.2 hitless innings while punching out a post-season franchise-record 11 opponents.
After a shaky Game 2 start in the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners (four innings, four hits, five runs), he bounced back in Game 6 to earn the win, striking out seven and allowing just two runs over 5.2 innings.
And Toronto will need Yesavage at his best as its hitters face Snell, whose dominant post-season has included 28 strikeouts and just two earned runs over 21 innings.
In his most recent outing, Snell tossed eight innings in a Game 1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, allowing just one hit and no walks while fanning 10.
Los Angeles has also announced that Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start Game 2, while the Schneider said the Blue Jays will likely announce their own starter for Saturday’s contest later Thursday.
The team is still working through whether Kevin Gausman — who started Game 1 of the ALDS and ALCS but pitched on inning during Monday’s ALCS clincher — will start Game in Toronto or Game 3 in Los Angeles.
Chris Bassitt, who pitched a perfect eighth inning in Game 7 of the ALCS, will likely remain in the bullpen, Schneider said.
