Trey Yesavage is on track for a Triple-A rehab start next week, another real step toward his return.

He threw 30 pitches in a simulated game Thursday, with his fastball touching 93 mph, manager John Schneider told reporters Friday.

That's real velocity for a pitcher just a month removed from knee surgery.

Yesavage will throw a bullpen in Toronto Sunday, building toward a target of 40 to 50 pitches in that minor-league rehab game next week.

If everything goes well from there, an actual activation could follow right after that outing.

The 22-year-old left Toronto's Aug. 4 loss to the Astros after his knee buckled warming up for the third inning, having thrown 16 strikes over two innings.

He was later diagnosed with a meniscus injury and underwent surgery to repair the cartilage about a month ago.

Why this timeline lines up well for the stretch run

He first threw off a mound again on Sept. 4, and the progression since then has moved steadily: bullpen sessions, a simulated game, and now a real rehab start on the calendar.

That pace suggests the knee has responded well throughout this entire process, without the kind of setback that's derailed other Blue Jays pitchers this season.

Toronto's rotation has been running on bullpen games and improvised plans for weeks, absorbing injuries to Jose Berrios, Bowden Francis, Patrick Corbin, Jameson Taillon, and Shane Bieber at various points.

A healthy Yesavage would give this staff a real, controllable arm right when the wild-card race is at its tightest.

There's still no guaranteed activation date, and one rehab outing doesn't always go according to plan.

But 93 mph off a simulated game, with a clear next step already scheduled, is about as encouraging as this recovery could look right now.

Whether he actually gets activated after that Triple-A start, or needs an additional tune-up first, should become clear within the next week or two.