Blue Jays Player Speaks Out Against Family Criticism

Trey Yesavage, a rookie pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, spoke out against recent attacks on his family and friends due to his performance on the field. Yesavage expressed concern over the hate directed towards his loved ones, without providing specific details. He highlighted the issue of athletes facing inappropriate behavior from the public.

During a news conference before Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, Yesavage addressed the attacks on his parents, brothers, girlfriend, and other family members. Despite the opportunity to elaborate, he chose to keep his statement brief and move forward.

Yesavage, aged 22, has only started four games in the major leagues, including his impressive postseason debut last week. He pitched 5 1/3 hitless innings and set a franchise record with 11 strikeouts in a Division Series victory over the New York Yankees. The nature of the attacks Yesavage mentioned remains unclear, but instances of athletes and their families facing threats and harassment on social media are becoming more prevalent.

The issue of online threats towards professional athletes was exemplified by incidents involving other players like Lance McCullers Jr. of the Houston Astros and Liam Hendriks of the Boston Red Sox. Such behavior has also affected games, as seen when New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler used negative social media posts from Boston Red Sox fans as motivation before a recent match. Yankees manager Aaron Boone advised players to avoid social media during the intense postseason period.