Blue Jays Turn To Brand New Arm After Trey Yesavage Setback
The Toronto Blue Jays continue to battle significant pitching injuries, constantly cycling through their depth. This issue recently escalated when young starter Trey Yesavage's abbreviated outing taxed the bullpen ahead of the All-Star break. In response, the Blue Jays promoted right-handed pitcher CJ Van Eyk from Triple-A Buffalo to provide a fresh arm. Van Eyk, a 2020 draft pick, has posted a 3.79 ERA over 78.1 innings this season. His call-up, prompted by the team's urgent need for innings relief, marks his potential MLB debut and reflects both desperation and confidence in his ability to contribute immediately, likely from the bullpen.
Despite entering the season with more than enough starters to fill a rotation, the Toronto Blue Jays have continuously cycled through their depth as they look to overcome significant injuries to Cody Ponce, Max Scherzer, Shane Bieber and others.
That challenge resurfaced last week as the club was forced to cover significant innings following an abbreviated outing from a young starter just before the All-Star break.
With the bullpen taxed ahead of the team’s matchup with the San Diego Padres on Sunday, the Blue Jays opted to bring in a fresh arm from Triple-A for a potential major-league debut.
"Welcome to the show, CJ Van Eyk,” Sportnet reported. “The Toronto Blue Jays selected the right-handed pitcher for the MLB roster and he will be active Sunday against the San Diego Padres. In a subsequent move, righty Chad Dallas has been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, the team announced."
The promotion came less than 24 hours after the team found itself calling on extensive bullpen coverage in a loss on Saturday, as young starter Trey Yesavage suffered a setback in his hopeful return to top form this season.
"Trey Yesavage lasted only 1 2/3 innings in Saturday's 8-7 Jays loss to San Diego, and while Dallas wasn't one of the four relievers who picked up the slack, Van Eyk's selection brings a fresh arm into the bullpen,” Mark Polishuk noted for MLB Trade Rumors. “The 27-year-old Van Eyk will be making his Major League debut whenever he appears in a game."
While Van Eyk won’t be a direct replacement for Yesavage in the rotation, the team was forced to turn to the unproven option for potential innings following Yesavage’s unfortunate outing. Van Eyk did not end up appearing in the game on Sunday.
Van Eyk's arrival represents the culmination of a lengthy development process that began when the Blue Jays selected him early in the 2020 MLB Draft.
"Van Eyk, 27, was selected as a second-rounder by the Blue Jays in the 2020 draft,” Sportsnet added. “The Tampa, Fla., native has spent the 2026 season with the (Triple-A) Bisons, pitching 78.1 innings over 17 games (13 starts). Van Eyk has held a 3.79 ERA in that span, allowing 33 earned runs on 56 strikeouts and 25 walks."
Those results were enough to convince Toronto he was ready for his first opportunity at the highest level, at least in the team’s desperation to cover innings before the All-Star break.
But the promotion also reflects the organization's confidence that Van Eyk can contribute immediately, even if his initial role comes out of the bullpen rather than the starting rotation.
For a pitcher who has spent five years working his way through the Blue Jays' farm system, Sunday's call-up marks a significant milestone. And after Yesavage's abbreviated outing forced Toronto to rethink its pitching plans, Van Eyk now has an opportunity to prove he can become another dependable option as the club heads into the second half of the season.