Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Leads Blue Jays Past Red Sox 3-0 Behind Yesavage

vladimir guerrero jr. drove in a run, and Trey Yesavage answered with 5 1/3 scoreless innings in the Blue Jays’ 3-0 win over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday. Toronto got the shutout after activating Yesavage off the injured list earlier in the day, and the result moved the club to 13-16.

Yesavage's first start

The 22-year-old scattered four hits, struck out three and did not issue a walk in his first start of the season. He had not pitched in spring training because of soreness in his pitching shoulder, and his last rehabilitation start in the minors came last week.

Yesavage received a standing ovation when he left the game. He said afterward, “I’m very happy with the performance,” and, “These fans are great and I am very blessed to play in front of them.”

Guerrero Jr. and Okamoto

Toronto did not need much offense, but it got enough. Kazuma Okamoto hit a two-run single in the third inning, and Guerrero Jr. added an RBI single in the fifth while going 2-for-3 on the night.

The Blue Jays backed that early scoring with 3 2/3 no-hit innings from four relievers. Jeff Hoffman worked a perfect seventh inning with two strikeouts, and Louis Varland struck out the side in the ninth for his fourth save in as many chances.

Toronto's bullpen finish

John Schneider said of the relief group, “They were all phenomenal tonight.” The win was Toronto’s sixth in its last nine games and kept the Blue Jays in position to win their third series in a row on Wednesday afternoon.

For Yesavage, the outing fit a long rise that already included a Sept. 15 call-up to the big leagues after he pitched for all four of the club’s affiliates in 2025. He had also piled up 39 strikeouts across five postseason starts and six appearances last postseason, then came back Tuesday and gave Toronto exactly what it needed in his first start of the year.