RECAP | Yesavage will be starting pitcher for Blue Jays in Game 1 of the World Series

‘That is a beatable baseball team,’ Blue Jays manager says of DodgersToronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider was asked ahead of the World Series about some people framing the matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers as a David vs. Goliath situation — a categorization he rejects, saying his team is ready to face off against, ‘what is, on paper, the best team in baseball.’ The LatestTrey Yesavage will be the Jays’ starting pitcher Friday for Game 1 of the World Series.Jays manager John Schneider showed confidence in his team as they gear up to face the defending champs: “I’ll put this group of 26 up against anybody.”Players answered questions from reporters about how they’re feeling and what their mindset is ahead of Friday. Game 1 is on home turf tomorrow night at the Rogers Centre. The pressure is on as the Dodgers feature one of the best baseball players in history, Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers will aim to defend their title. This is the Jays’ first World Series appearance in 32 years. UpdatesOctober 233 hours agoWrapping up our live updatesVerity StevensonWe’re wrapping up our live updates of today’s World Series media day ahead of Game 1 tomorrow. We’ve heard from players and we’ve heard from Jays manager John Schneider, who announced that rookie Trey Yesavage will be Toronto’s starting pitcher tomorrow night. The Dodgers are putting up pitcher Blake Snell. Workers at the Rogers Centre are getting the field ready for the big showdown. We’ll be back tomorrow as Toronto faces off against the L.A. Dodgers, the defending champs. Schneider says he trusts his team can win: “I’ll put this group of 26 up against anybody,” he said earlier.3 hours agoCard sharks in the Jays’ poolMark GollomOne of the team’s favourite pastimes when chilling in the clubhouse is playing cards, specifically the game 13 — no poker for these gents.They play before and they play after a ball game. “Win, lose or draw, they bring out the cards,” said centre fielder Miles Straw, who has gained a reputation as one of the club’s card sharks.“I’m sure we’ll be playing before and after [Game 1].”He said playing cards certainly helps the team relax, take off the edge and keep their minds off things.“Sometimes it could be a bad look but, I mean, that’s who we are,” he said.“We’ve had games where we get blown out like 10-0 and we hop in there and play some cards.”3 hours agoGetting Rogers Centre ready for Game 1 Sarah PetzGround crew members prepare the infield for the World Series, at Rogers Centre, in Toronto, Thursday. The Blue Jays take on the Dodgers in Game 1 on Friday. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)Preparations are well underway to get the infield at Rogers Centre ready for Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night. CBC News photographer Evan Mitsui was there this afternoon to capture ground crew members in action. 3 hours agoYesavage talks about finding out he’d be starting pitcher Sarah PetzAfter finding out he’d be the Jays’ starting pitcher Friday, Yesavage said his first call from his hotel room was to his girlfriend, then to his parents. But getting any sleep last night “was not easy,” he said. “My mind was just racing. I found a way to get some z’s, but it was a little tough.” 3 hours agoYesavage is speaking Verity StevensonYesavage was just asked by reporters how he’ll manage the pressure of being starting pitcher for Game 1 tomorrow.”I try to treat it as if it’s not as high-pressure as it is, mentally. But I know it’s there, so I think I’ve just developed [how I manage pressure] over time,” he said.3 hours agoRookie Yesavage is almost the youngest to start Game 1 of a World SeriesMark GollomToronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage earlier this month. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press)Yesavage, at the age of 22, will be the second youngest starting pitcher in Game 1 of the World Series, according to MLB.com.The youngest was the Dodgers’ Ralph Branca, at 21, in 1947.Perhaps more incredibly, Yesavage didn’t start the season in the major leagues — he was with the Jays minor league Single-A Dunedin affiliate.And he has only three regular-season starts, MLB.com noted. (He started and won Game 6 of the ALCS against the Mariners.)3 hours agoSpringer not thinking about that home runMark GollomToronto Blue Jays’ George Springer celebrates his three run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning in ALCS Game 7. (David J. Phillip/The Associated Press)George Springer, whose Game 7 home-run blast helped catapult the Jays into the World Series, says he hasn’t really had time to reflect on that moment.He said he’s focused on the series ahead.“There’s still a job to be done and there’s still a very good baseball team on the other side of the line over there,” he told CBC’s Greg Ross.“Once it’s all said and done, I’ll look back on it and do some reflecting at some point.” 4 hours agoOntario NDP wants to stop soaring ticket resale pricesVerity StevensonWith tickets to World Series games in Toronto selling for thousands of dollars more than the original cost, the Ontario New Democratic Party is calling on the government to pass legislation that would ban marking up the price of resale tickets.My colleague in Toronto Oskar McCarson just wrote about a motion put forward by the NDP. It looks to update the Ticket Sales Act to combat fraud and predatory pricing by banning the sale of tickets above face value, but did not mention how this policy would be enforced.4 hours agoDavid vs. Goliath?Mark Gollom’That is a beatable baseball team,’ Blue Jays manager says of DodgersToronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider was asked ahead of the World Series about some people framing the matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers as a David vs. Goliath situation — a categorization he rejects, saying his team is ready to face off against, ‘what is, on paper, the best team in baseball.’ Schneider was asked about the David vs. Goliath scenario, with the Jays viewed as the underdogs (the diminutive David) in this series, as they face the defending champion Dodgers (the gigantic Goliath).Schnieder said he sees it as the “two best teams left standing” and that there’s a “reason we’re here [and a] reason they’re here.”He said he doesn’t necessarily view the Dodgers as Goliath, as they have their strengths and weaknesses.(Note: The biblical Goliath had his weakness too, felled by David’s slingshot.)4 hours agoWill Bo be back for Game 1? Verity StevensonToronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette in September. (Katie Stratman/Imagn Images via Reuters)Schneider says that’ll be up to Bichette.”It’s a little bit of a leap, yeah, for sure. I think just in conversations with Bo, he’s pretty realistic about how he feels and how he will feel if he’s out there,” Schneider said. “If he feels comfortable doing it, you know, I’m going to listen to players and trust them.”Bichette said earlier this week he’d be ready to return to the Jays’ roster for the World Series.It would be a huge boost for the team, which has played without the star shortstop for six weeks due to a left knee injury.The two-time American League hits leader and two-time all-star didn’t give much away in an interview with MLB Network after Monday night’s victory over the Mariners, saying only, “I’ll be ready,” and “I’m good.”