Overview
- Manager John Schneider reaffirmed that “we still view him as a starter,” and he downplayed beginning the season in a bullpen role.
- Yesavage has not yet appeared in a spring game and is slated for at least one more live batting-practice session before game action.
- Conservative workload management is expected, with options discussed such as piggyback outings, skipped starts, or shorter appearances, and MLB.com’s beat analysis suggests a goal near last year’s total to preserve October availability.
- Rotation depth with Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Cody Ponce, Max Scherzer and José Berríos provides flexibility, though Shane Bieber and Bowden Francis remain sidelined.
- The 22-year-old rocketed from the 2024 draft to a 2025 postseason breakout, posting a 3.58 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 27.2 innings across six outings.