Trey Yesavage threw a 34-pitch bullpen session in Dunedin Monday, another step in his return.

The next stage arrives Thursday, when he's expected to face live hitters for two innings.

That's real progress for a pitcher working back from knee surgery, moving from bullpen work directly into facing actual batters.

Yesavage has been out since his knee buckled during a start against the Astros back in early August.

Each clean step in this process matters, especially with Toronto's rotation already stretched thin by injuries elsewhere.

Jose Berrios, Bowden Francis, Patrick Corbin, Jameson Taillon, and Shane Bieber have all missed time from that same rotation group this season.

Getting Yesavage built back up, even in a limited role, would give Toronto a real boost during the stretch run.

Why Thursday's test matters more than the bullpen itself

Facing live hitters is a different challenge entirely from a bullpen session. Command against real swings tells you far more than a clean 34-pitch outing on its own.

If Thursday goes well, the next step typically involves stretching out his pitch count further before any actual rehab game gets scheduled.

Toronto has been careful with this build-up, adding steps incrementally rather than rushing him back onto a mound in a real game setting.

The Blue Jays remain in the thick of the wild-card race, and every returning arm, even one that might only handle a couple innings at first, adds real value to a staff that's leaned heavily on bullpen games this season.

There's still no firm return date attached to any of this. Thursday's outcome should offer more clarity on how much runway Yesavage actually needs before an activation becomes realistic.

For now, this is simply the next checkpoint in a recovery that's stayed on track so far.