Blue Jays Talk

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-4 loss vs. the Yankees at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and get right to the top of the ninth inning - why was Erik Swanson put into a high leverage role late for his first appearance off the IL? Why was Chad Green not available? They debate the bullpen usage, including whether or not Jordan Romano could have pitched a second day in a row. Plus, they get to the offence showing more signs of life, including two home runs from Daulton Varsho, and a rebound outing for Kevin Gausman after a tough few starts to begin the season. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 5-4 win over the Yankees at Rogers Centre to win their third straight series! They take your calls, and discuss Yusei Kikuchi's nine strikeouts vs. the Yankees - is he, as Jeff says, the Yankees' daddy? They get into the timely hits from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, more high leverage appearances from Yimi Garcia, and discuss what they saw from both Danny Jansen and Jordan Romano in their returns to the active roster. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 3-1 win over the Yankees to open the series at the Rogers Centre! They take your calls and get right to Chris Bassitt's 6.1 IP of one-run ball - is the starting rotation rounding back into form? They get into the play of the bullpen, including more phenomenal work from Yimi Garcia, and great outings from Tim Mayza and Chad Green. How do things shake out when Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson return? Plus, Alejandro Kirk has looked great in the last few games - will it be good for him to get some rest when Danny Jansen is back in the lineup? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Nick Ashbourne break down the Blue Jays' 5-0 win over the Rockies to take the series at Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and discuss another terrific outing from José Berríos, who didn't allow a run over seven scoreless innings. What is the view on Berríos when it comes to the 'ace' conversation? They chat Justin Turner knocking home three runs - is he, without a doubt, the team's best hitter right now? Plus, they chat Nate Pearson's role in the bullpen, who gets sent down when Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson returns, Alejandro Kirk reaching safely four times, the imminent return of Danny Jansen, and the play of Isiah Kiner-Falefa. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Nick Ashbourne break down the Blue Jays' 5-3 win over the Rockies at the Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and get right to the debut of Yariel Rodríguez, who notched six strikeouts while allowing just one run over 3.2 IP - how impressive was it for a guy who had never set foot on a Major League mound before? They discuss the dominance shown by Yimi Garcia - is there any way he unseats Jordan Romano as the closer of this team, or is it simply a good problem to have? Plus, they discuss the afternoon from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., including his baserunning efforts and offensive performance. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 12-4 loss to the Rockies at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls and discuss another bizarre outing from Kevin Gausman, who allowed six earned runs and 10 hits on 3.2 IP. Is there something to be concerned about after now two subpar outings? They get into the offence underperforming yet again, and chat about Daulton Varsho and his place on the team after clubbing his first home run of 2024. Plus, Yariel Rodriguez is tabbed for Saturday's start - what should everyone expect? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-1 extra innings loss to the Mariners at Rogers Centre. They take your calls and texts, and get to the bullpen usage - Yimi Garcia, Tim Mayza, and Mitch White all made appearances with varying results. Should Garcia have pitched more? What's up with Mayza so far this season? They discuss Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s mammoth home run, the rest of the offence (Vladdy included), and Yusei Kikuchi allowing one run along with nine strikeouts over six innings of work. Should he have come out for another inning? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 5-3 win over the Mariners to guarantee their first series win of the season! They take your calls, and get right to the 115 pitches hurled by Chris Bassitt over 6.2 IP - after two so-so starts to begin the year, is it a good sign he can go so deep this early? They get into how it helped out the bullpen, and how both Trevor Richards and Chad Green closed things out. Plus, Bo Bichette smashed his first homer of the season - how does Bo's swing look these days? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 5-2 win over the Mariners in the first home game of 2024! They take your calls and get right to the 6.2 IP from José Berríos - is he still, somehow, an underrated member of this starting rotation? They get into the bullpen usage, big plays from Davis Schneider and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and also discuss the new digs for both the Blue Jays themselves and the fans down at the Rogers Centre. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 8-3 loss to the Yankees, a defeat that brings them back to Toronto at 4-6 on the season. They take your calls and texts, and discuss the offensive power outage once again - what are the key differences between the Jays and most teams across MLB? They chat about Bowden Francis giving up a grand slam to Giancarlo Stanton, the play of Alejandro Kirk (especially cleaning up), and how the offence improves with a lengthy homestand coming up. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 9-8 loss vs. the Yankees in New York. They take your texts, and get right to the 1.1 IP from Kevin Gausman, the shortest of his Blue Jays career - what happened? Did the cold truly affect his outing that much? They chat about the offence scoring eight runs, and whether or not that's a good sign going forward. Plus, they discuss Ernie Clement and Davis Schneider needing to play every day, the late-game situation with Daniel Vogelbach and whether he should have been pinch-run for, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continuing to have an up-and-down season. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 3-0 win over the Yankees in New York! They take your calls and texts, and discuss the decision from John Schneider to pinch-hit Ernie Clement late in this game for an offensive spark - should he play more? What's up with the overall offensive power outages throughout the season so far? Plus, they get to Yusei Kikuchi's 5.1 IP of zero-run, seven-strikeout ball, and chat about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s swing decisions as of late. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy is joined by The FAN's Blue Jays radio voice, Ben Shulman, to preview the upcoming Yankees series with a look back on Yusei Kikuchi’s performance in his first start of the year. Afterwards, Paul Sporer of Fangraphs discusses what goes into his Starting Pitcher Chart, expectations for Marcus Stroman, breakout candidates on the hill and the anticipated pitching duel in the Blue Jays-Yankees series (20:24). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 8-0 loss to the Astros at Minute Maid Park. They take your calls, and get right to the offence, which leaves Houston having scored two runs in three games. Does this go beyond analytics at this point? Is the offence's sample size truly these seven games in 2024 alongside the 162 games in 2023? Should Marcus Stroman practice throwing a changeup ahead of Friday's series opener against the Yankees? Plus, they discuss how to divvy up blame at this stage of the season, whether it's on the players, the front office, or perhaps both. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 2-1 win over the Astros at Minute Maid Park! They take your calls, and get right to the two-run bomb from Davis Schneider with the Jays down to their final out - should he get more playing time? They discuss the pitch from Josh Hader that Schneider smoked, and chat about the job that the Jays bullpen did late, including from Yimi Garcia and Chad Green. Plus, they get into the start from José Berríos and his work in navigating a tough Astros lineup while holding down a one-run game. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays getting no-hit by Ronel Blanco in a 10-0 defeat vs. the Astros at Minute Maid Park. They take your calls, and discuss the feeble offensive performance - why was there no response to Blanco's changeup over the course of the evening? They also get into Bowden Francis' start in which he gave up seven earned runs over 5.1 IP - was it nerves, was it the Astros batters, or both? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 9-2 win over the Rays to grab a series split at Tropicana Field! They take your calls and texts, and get right to the outing from Justin Turner, which saw him knock home four runs, including a solo shot. How important is it to have his bat in the middle of the Blue Jays order? They chat about Kevin Gausman's start, which saw him notch six strikeouts over 4.1 IP - how encouraging was it to see the fastball and splitter both working in tandem? Plus, they get to Ernie Clement's play at shortstop in Bo Bichette's absence, Davis Schneider smashing his first home run of 2024, and how you split time between the glut of talented infielders on the team. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 5-1 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field. They take your calls and texts, and get to the lack of offence - are the echoes of 2023 too similar to what people have gotten through three games in 2024? They chat about the Génesis Cabrera scuffle with Jose Caballero, Justin Turner pinch-hitting late in the game, and Bo Bichette's defence through the first few games. Plus, Yusei Kikuchi only goes 4.1 IP, and Ernie Clement shines defensively - should he get more run as the team's third baseman? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 8-2 loss vs. the Rays at Tropicana Field. They discuss the start from Chris Bassitt - despite giving up a third-inning grand slam to Brandon Lowe, was he also let down by the defence behind him? As a part of that conversation, they discuss Bo Bichette's defence, and also factor in the play of Rays starter Aaron Civale. Plus, they get to George Springer hitting a home run in his second straight game, and the hitting of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. through two games. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 8-2 win over the Rays to kick off the 2024 MLB season! They take your calls, and discuss the moonshot from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - is that a harbinger of good things to come? They get into big bombs from George Springer and Cavan Biggio as well - should Biggio be in consideration for an everyday player (even if it's not always at second base)? Plus, José Berríos spins the ball well, as he gets through six innings of two-run ball. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy is joined by Jonah Birenbaum of theScore to discuss upcoming roster decisions, reasons for optimism, how the bullpen will shake out and batting order curiosities. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy is joined by Keegan Matheson to discuss the 40-man roster, who could have a Davis Schneider-type impact on Toronto and the bullpen depth on the team. Also, Keegan touches on why he’s optimistic Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will return to form. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy and Ben Nicholson-Smith discuss John Schneider’s 40-man roster decisions and who the 5th starter will be going into Opening Day. Also, they analyze the competition for the final remaining reliever spots and who has looked the best in Spring Training. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Daniele Franceschi break down the Blue Jays' 2-0 loss to the Phillies in the penultimate Spring Training game of 2024. They take your texts, and discuss the outing from Chris Bassitt in his final Spring start, as well as the bullpen usage for Chad Green, Génesis Cabrera, and Yimi Garcia. Afterwards, with the regular season around the corner, it's time for some bold predictions - Sho and Daniele share some predictions of their own, get to some thoughts from the listeners, and hear from Ben Nicholson-Smith, Blake Murphy, Nick Ashbourne, Ben Shulman, Julia Kreuz, and Jeff Blair, all of whom take some swings at both positive and negative results ahead of Opening Day. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Nick Ashbourne break down the Blue Jays' 10-7 loss to the Tigers in Spring Training action down in Dunedin. They take your texts, and get to an uneven performance from Yusei Kikuchi - is it fair to be worried about his spring outings despite a limited sample size? They discuss the bullpen showings from Nate Pearson and Zach Pop, and also ask the question: if Jordan Romano is forced to be out for any length of time, who gets the closing job? Plus, they get into Kevin Kiermaier escaping serious injury, the backup catcher situation being sorted, and George Springer looking ready for the regular season. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Nick Ashbourne break down the Blue Jays' 9-4 win over the Twins in Spring Training action down in Dunedin! They take your texts, and get to the spring debut of Yariel Rodriguez - was his promising start something to get excited about? They chat about the outings from Mitch White and Nate Pearson, and discuss George Springer and Kevin Kiermaier blasting a few home runs. Plus, they discuss the 5-5 split squad tie between the Jays and Phillies in Clearwater, which featured a Joey Votto home run off Zack Wheeler - can he still bang? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Nick Ashbourne break down the Blue Jays' 10-9 loss to the Yankees in Spring Training action down in Tampa. They take your texts, and discuss what they saw from Daulton Varsho, who stole three bases and added a hit and a walk - how will Varsho acquit himself after a tough 2023? They also chat about Payton Henry, who is battling Brian Serven for the second catcher spot following Danny Jansen's wrist injury. Did he do enough to separate himself? Plus, they debate the final three spots available for position players this spring - who do you take to fill out the roster, and where does Daniel Vogelbach stand in that race? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 11-6 loss to the Orioles in Dunedin. They get into the start from Yusei Kikuchi, who gave up five earned runs early on before settling down - any worry there at this point in the spring? They chat about the bullpen, including Chad Green and Erik Swanson - how much does Green have to do in order to change his place in the bullpen order? With split squad action also happening in Sarasota, they get to Ernie Clement banging a three-run bomb off Corbin Burnes, and debate Brian Serven vs. Payton Henry as the organization's third catcher. Plus, with a busy week now wrapped up, they also chat about Ricky Tiedemann's outing, Joey Votto signing a minor league deal, and Josh Donaldson calling it a career. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 3-1 loss to the Red Sox in Spring Training action down in Fort Myers. They take your texts, and get to the second spring dinger from Alejandro Kirk - is this a sign he might be closer to his 2022 offensive form? They chat Addison Barger, who made some impressive throws from the outfield - how much more does he have to do in order to be in consideration for the Opening Day roster? Plus, they discuss some Ricky Tiedemann updates from Dunedin, and how he could be close to live game action in the coming days. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 6-2 Spring Training loss to the Braves down in Dunedin. They take your texts, and get to the work at the hot corner by Isiah Kiner-Falefa - is he ready to be the (almost) everyday third baseman? Plus, Danny Jansen looks ready for the regular season - how much are expectations for him tempered by his injury woes of the past? Afterwards, they chat about the pitching, including a start from Chris Bassitt, and a solid 2.1 IP from Bowden Francis. If Alek Manoah isn't ready for the regular season, could Francis be relied upon as the team's fifth starter? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' first road game of the Spring campaign, a 12-6 loss vs. the Yankees in Tampa. They take your texts, and chat about buying and selling Jays narratives following two spring games. Julia focuses on Davis Schneider after a terrific diving grab in left field - could that be a home for him this season? Sho gets to Orelvis Martinez and his eye at the plate - is there any chance he breaks camp with the team? Plus, they chat about the multi-inning relief options available to the team, and discuss how Cody Bellinger being re-signed by the Cubs could have a domino effect on Matt Chapman's potential contract status. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' Spring Training opener vs. the Phillies in Dunedin! They take your texts and get to what they saw out of the names to watch on the mound, including starter Chad Dallas, and relief options Nate Pearson, Zach Pop, and Yosver Zulueta. Plus, what are they buying this early in the spring campaign? They get to Pearson showing off a splitter, Orelvis Martinez at the plate, Bo Bichette's potential for stealing more bases, and the importance of Daulton Varsho getting in an early groove. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates

Blake Murphy and Ben Nicholson-Smith reset the Blue Jays offseason in the aftermath of Shohei Ohtani signing with the Dodgers. After a debriefing from the Ohtani chase and the lessons learned, they examine what the top of the free agent market now looks like, including a dramatic drop-off after Ohtani. They also discuss a number of available position player free agents, explore the idea of adding pitching and dealing from a position of strength, and get to possible trade targets from teams who might need to shed some salary by March. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates

Blake Murphy and Jeff Blair react live to the breaking news regarding superstar free agent Shohei Ohtani signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers after the Jays were believed to be a finalist. They welcome Sportsnet MLB Insider Shi Davidi (6:53) to discuss how the Jays' front office will approach the rest of free agency. Then, Bill Shaikin (36:11) of the L.A. Times shares what the Dodgers are getting in Ohtani, what led to the decision, and more. Next, Ben Nicholson-Smith (51:21) joins the show to discuss which free agents the Jays could look towards next. Finally, Blake and Jeff talk about the creativity we could see from the Jays front office. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined by Blue Jays Central’s Caleb Joseph ahead of Mark Shapiro’s end of season media availability to discuss what they expect to hear from the Jays’ President and more on how the season ended. After Shapiro addressed the media and announced GM Ross Atkins will be returning in 2024, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi joins Blair and Barker with his thoughts on how Shapiro handled the questioning (01:07:50). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy kicks off the final Jays Talk Plus of the season with a full recap of the Blue Jays’ unceremonious exit from the 2023 MLB playoffs. The Athletic's Kaitlyn McGrath promptly addresses the prominent issue at hand, soon to be known as ‘The Berrios Ultimatum’, before taking a look ahead to the looming offseason (12:47). Later on, Blake welcomes former MLB pitcher John Axford to offer his unique viewpoint on the pitching change, and shed some light on the influence of analytics in pre-game choices and when it becomes more fitting to empower the player over the game situation (36:54). In the second hour, ESPN's Kiley McDaniel helps us understand impulsive decisions made at the team level, the importance of trusting the investments made in players to carry out their roles effectively, and how analytics can be communicated more effectively from top management down (51:52). Next up, former Blue Jays Bullpen Coach Matt Buschmann provides an inside look at the behind-the-scenes decision-making processes that fans typically aren't privy to, such as the intricacies and various "what-if" scenarios considered (01:06:34). To wrap up this season of Jays Talk Plus, MLB.com's Jon Morosi helps us put a final bow on the team’s early exit from the playoffs, before shifting the focus to team-specific offseason matters including player movement and free agent options (01:24:25). Thank you all for listening - see you next season! The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker wrap up the Blue Jays' 2023 season following the 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Twins. They take your calls, and discuss the decision to yank José Berríos in the fourth inning for Yusei Kikuchi. Does John Schneider wear that decision? Should he have defied the higher-ups if it was a decision from above him? They chat about Vladimir Guerrero Jr. getting picked off at second base, and a missed Matt Chapman frozen rope down the line - how many missed opportunities can there be in tight ballgames? Plus, they discuss what comes next and what kind of changes are on the horizon for 2024. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy kicks off the show with a recap of the Blue Jays' 3-1 loss yesterday afternoon to open their Wild Card playoff series against the Twins. He is then joined by the pride of New Westminster, British Columbia, and current Twins Analyst with Bally Sports, Justin Morneau! He offers his immediate insights on Minnesota's relief after finally breaking their 18-game playoff losing streak, before delving into how the young Twins hitters attacked Kevin Gausman, highlighted the impressive performance of rookie Royce Lewis. Later in the hour, Blake welcomes MLB.com's Keegan Matheson to revisit the investigation into Gausman’s missing run support, clarify that Bo Bichette's baserunning error might not have been as egregious as it initially appeared, the conclude by speculating about the potential unconfirmed starting pitcher for the Jays in Game 3, if necessary (25:46). Next up, Sportsnet’s Madison Shipman provides a comprehensive recap of the Jays' offensive struggles and crucial missed opportunities in Game 1, before looking ahead to identify the best approach to deal with Sonny Gray tonight (51:18). To wrap up the show, Mike Petriello of MLB.com reflects on how the city of Minnesota confronted their playoff challenges, highlights the numerous Twins players on the roster that hit for power, but not volume, and concludes by sharing his prediction for a potential Game 3 (01:17:10). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 3-1 loss vs. the Twins in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series at Target Field. They take your calls, and get to the outing from Kevin Gausman in which he could only complete four innings - was he tipping his pitches? How did the Twins lay off the splitter so effectively? They chat about the Bo Bichette run decision following a Jorge Polanco error - bad decision by Bo or great throw from Carlos Correa? Plus, they get to the overall performance of the offence, and whether or not they failed to take advantage of Pablo Lopez and the Twins bullpen. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy kicks things off preparing for this afternoon's Wild Card matchup in Minneapolis. He is joined by Ben Nicholson-Smith, Senior MLB Editor at Sportsnet, to explore the expected pitching matchups, the unveiling of rosters, and potential omissions. Next up, Lance Brozdowski from Marquee Sports Network furthers the discussion with a deep dive into tonight's starters, which team has the bullpen advantage, and how the Jays stack up against the other playoff contenders (33:20). Moving into the second hour, Ben Clemens from FanGraphs joins the show to dissect his Wild Card preview piece for the Jays-Twins matchup (55:23). This includes discussions about the released rosters and the impact of injuries on both teams, with Ben also sharing his thoughts on which series around the league should generate the most interest. Wrapping up today's show is MLB.com's Do-Hyoung Park, who reviews the Twins' playoff roster and shares his take on Minnesota's 18-game playoff losing streak (01:15:09). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The second season is here! Blake Murphy kicks off Jays Talk Plus by providing a brief overview of Toronto's weekend series and the festivities that followed the clinch. He is later joined by Jonah Birenbaum, Senior Editor at TheScore, who outlines why the Jays have reasons to be optimistic as they head into the playoffs and why it would be a mistake to underestimate the Twins. In the latter part of the hour, Jon Morosi from MLB Network joins, opening with praise the potential farewells of four sure-fire Hall of Famers, including Cabrera, Wainwright, Greinke, and Votto. They then dive deep into a preview of Wild Card week, discussing all four matchups, including the Jays/Twins series, and debating the MLB's decision to go with dual overlap games versus a quadruple-header format (31:05). During the final hour, Sportsnet Producer Chris Black joins in-studio for an extended discussion. They begin by weighing the pros and cons of playing afternoon games at Target Field, before delving into a comprehensive review of the 2023 Blue Jays' regular season (51:32). From there, they explore potential roster decisions, game strategies, and share their overall expectations for the first round (01:20:15). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 12-8 loss to the Rays to wrap the season at 89-73 overall. They take your calls, and discuss the coming playoff matchup, as they will be headed to Target Field to take on the Minnesota Twins - is that a positive for the team given the season to-date? Plus, they discuss the work accomplished by both John Schneider and Ross Atkins over the whole year, the offence and how it has fared, and we hear from a number of Jays during their champagne-soaked clubhouse celebrations. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 7-5 loss to the Rays at the Rogers Centre in extra innings. They take your calls, and get to the decisions that saw Jordan Romano enter the game in the eighth inning and Jordan Hicks take the mound in both the ninth and tenth - were those the right moves? Brandon Belt entered the game late as a pinch hitter - could he have just been in the starting lineup if that was the case? They also discuss the outing from Hyun-jin Ryu - was that the last time he will be seen in a Jays uniform? Plus, they get to the four-way tie scenario that could await the Blue Jays depending on out-of-town results from the Rangers, Astros, and Mariners. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 11-4 win over the Rays to open the series at Rogers Centre! They take your calls, and get right to the playoff clinching scenarios, as the team's magic number is down to one after the victory. They discuss the play of the offence, including big swings from Matt Chapman, Alejandro Kirk, and Cavan Biggio, and also discuss the outing from Yusei Kikuchi. Plus, they debate - should the team make the playoffs - the difference between playing Tampa and Minnesota in the postseason. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy starts the show with a summary of the previous day's crucial victory against the Yankees, avoiding a series sweep with a 6-0 shutout win. The Athletic's Kaitlyn McGrath stops by to discuss the remarkable achievement of the "unbelievable competitor" Chris Bassitt, before providing a brief preview of the potential Wild Card series between the Blue Jays and Rays. In the second half hour, MLB.com's Adam Berry hops aboard to review the Rays' season as a whole, highlighting both their early successes and challenges, before delving into the team's concerns regarding injuries heading into the playoffs (31:21). Blue Jays radio play-by-play voice Ben Wagner kicks off the second hour with his perspective on Chris Bassitt's performance throughout the season, potential starting lineups for the upcoming week, and the cost of not securing a playoff spot ahead of this weekend (51:35). Levi Weaver from The Athletic wraps up this week with a comprehensive analysis of the various scenarios and potential outcomes for the A.L. and N.L. Wild Card candidates during the upcoming weekend (01:15:05). To conclude, they reflect on the 2023 Major League Baseball season, discussing the surprise contenders and the impact of rule changes. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-0 win over the Yankees at the Rogers Centre! They take your calls, and get right to the start from Chris Bassitt, who notched 12 Ks over 7.2 IP, as he hit 200 IP for the first time in his career. How good has he been in 2023? Does he deserve a Game 2 playoff start in a potential Wild Card series? Plus, they chat about the revamped lineup, including Bo Bichette batting cleanup, and both Daulton Varsho and Matt Chapman going yard at the bottom of the order. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jays Talk Plus with Blake Murphy kicks off with his summary of the team’s second consecutive shutout loss to the New York Yankees. He opens up the JTP Mailbag to address the audience's ‘feelings’, questions and comments about the team amid the final week of the season. In the latter part of the hour, TV play-by-play voice Dan Shulman dissects why the Blue Jays are adding complexity to their situation, deciphers the significance of certain players falling out of the 'circle of trust,' and explores why even a challenging week can still secure their postseason berth (27:04). As we step into the second hour, Blake is joined by MLB.com's Mike Petriello to discuss the impact of the Rogers Centre's revised dimensions on hitting, while being conversely auspicious for pitching and defense, and explore the idea of shaping future team rosters to align with the ballpark's characteristics. Lastly, they examine how MLB's new rule changes have influenced the rise in stolen base activity (53:34). Wrapping up today's show is Alex Eisert of FanGraphs, who delves into his latest piece on the “Quiet Brilliance of Kevin Gausman’s Splitter,” before getting into the analytics of defensive fielding data and aggressive vs. patient hitting approaches (01:20:00). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-0 loss to the Yankees at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and get to Gerrit Cole - the likely AL Cy Young winner - shutting down the Jays once again. Why couldn't the bats take advantage of the pitches Cole gave them? They discuss the offence being completely absent over the last two games, and chat about the decisions to pitch to Aaron Judge - bad pitches or better swings from the reigning AL MVP? Plus, they chat the makeup of the roster, and get into how basically every player on this team has been underperforming all season long. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The show kicks off with Blake Murphy summarizing last night’s 2-0 loss to the Yankees at Rogers Centre. He is joined by Ben Nicholson-Smith, Sportsnet's Senior MLB editor, to delve into the recent struggles of Jordan Romano over his last two relief appearances, the timeline for Brandon Belt's return to form, and the strategic usage tactics the Blue Jays might employ in the upcoming week. In the latter part of the hour, Jon Morosi from MLB Network discusses the American League playoff races, starting with the Mariners' bounce-back performance, Texas ‘just about’ securing the top seed in the West, and his insights into which team appears strongest leading into the next week (32:41). Transitioning into the second hour, Joe Siddall, Blue Jays Analyst at Sportsnet, joins the conversation to share his analysis of yesterday's loss to the Bronx Bombers, explore the idea of simply deploying the best player in high-pressure situations, and conclude with a quick projection of the Blue Jays' Wild Card roster (50:50). Wrapping up today's episode, Eno Sarris from The Athletic joins and briefly reviews their collective Fantasy Baseball seasons, before diving into potential standout candidates for the 2023 Cy Young Award and how teams might utilize their likely playoff-bound starting pitchers in the coming week (01:10:55). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 2-0 loss to the Yankees at Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and get right to Jordan Romano giving up two runs in three pitches in the top of the ninth inning - what's with his bizarre record in tied games? Should he no longer be the closer? Is there anything still lingering from Saturday's blown save, even with the extra day off? Plus, the offence was shutout of this one - how did they not take advantage of five Michael King walks, and what did they see from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with the bases loaded in the third inning? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

To kick off the show, Blake Murphy opens the show with a recap of last night’s Major League Baseball action, sans the idle Blue Jays. Following this, he is joined by Buffalo Bisons Manager, Casey Candaele to get his measure on the team’s 2023 season, including how he managed regularly losing a glut of talent due to call-ups during the year, including Davis Schneider, Spencer Horwitz and Nathen Lukes. They close the segment with a discussion on the merits and drawbacks to the use of the automatic strike zone. In the second half of the hour, Blake is joined by Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher, José Berríos, who connected with him at his charity event in Toronto. Their conversation spans various topics, including Berríos' personal journey growing up playing baseball in Puerto Rico, the recent performance of the Blue Jays, and his La Gente del Barrio Home Run Derby and Celebrity Softball Game scheduled for December (30:57). During the final hour, Sportsnet Producer Chris Black makes an in-studio appearance for an extended discussion. They dive into the analytics behind the Blue Jays' recent run, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s impressive turnaround in September, the concerns about his injured knee, potential lineup changes pending Brandon Belt's return, and the discourse behind Jordan Romano's finger-related issues (50:07). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy kicks off Monday's episode recapping the team's successful weekend at Tropicana Field. He is then joined by Keegan Matheson, a writer for BlueJays.com, to dissect how the team might have finally overcome “The Trop Curse", before evaluating the team's overall health, rotation depth, and Davis Schneider, George Springer, and Chris Bassitt's weekends respectively. In the second segment, MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince stops by to break down the ups and downs of the Wild Card races in both leagues. They discuss how injuries could potentially disrupt the playoffs and celebrate the greatness of José Ramírez and Joey Votto (31:25). During the final hour, Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling joins Blake in-studio to share his thoughts on Jays' weekend series win, before diving into the team's playoff preparation and strategic considerations heading down the stretch (51:55). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 9-5 win over the Rays to end the weekend with a series victory at Tropicana Field! He takes your calls and texts, and gets right to George Springer's big day - after launching an inside-the-park home run, and making highlight reel catches and throws, was that his best individual game as a Blue Jay? Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushes two home runs, including going back-to-back with Bo Bichette - how important is it to see the top three bats in this order come alive? Plus, the bullpen gets good outings from Trevor Richards, Erik Swanson and Jordan Hicks - what should Hicks' role look like going forward? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 7-6 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field. He takes your calls and texts, and gets right to the ninth inning in which Jordan Romano blew his fourth save of the year. John Schneider says he had a cracked fingernail - if it was bothering Romano, was that the right move? Why not use Tim Mayza? Plus, Sho gets to the Whit Merrifield send in the seventh - was it the right call to gamble on the fly ball? Afterwards, Sho discusses the offence staging the comeback down 5-0 early, and also gets to the outing from Hyun-jin Ryu, who got tagged for five earned runs over 4.1 IP. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-2 win over the Rays at Tropicana Field! They take your calls, and get right to that sixth inning in which Tyler Glasnow lost command of the strike zone - while there was some luck involved, how important was it for the Jays to take advantage of big opportunities when they presented themselves? Plus, they discuss the home run from Daulton Varsho, and the start from Chris Bassitt in which he only allowed two earned runs over 6.2 IP - has Bassitt worked himself into a start in the first two games of a potential Wild Card series? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

It’s off to the Trop as the Blue Jays are not able to force a series sweep against the New York Yankees losing the game 5-3. Host of Jays Talk Plus Blake Murphy kicks off the show with Senior Editor of The Score Jonah Birenbaum to talk about Gerrit Cole’s dominant outing, the call for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to pinch hit and a historical view of the Blue Jays starting rotation. Next up, Julia Kreuz of MLB.com joins Blake (50:25) to discuss Vladdy’s inflammation injury and the curse of the Trop. Later, Jon Morosi joins the show (1:16:01) to give his take on Gerrit Cole being a Cy Young favourite and what the offseason will look like for the Yankees. Finally, Blake closes out the show with a preview of tonight’s matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 5-3 loss vs. the Yankees to wrap up the series in New York. They take your calls, and discuss the bats' efforts against Gerrit Cole - what are the team's prospects against good pitching both for the rest of the regular season and potentially for the playoffs as well? They discuss the decision to bring in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning, and whether or not some (or a lot) of the shine has come off Davis Schneider. Plus, they discuss the overall staff and bullpen the Blue Jays have from top to bottom - is it one of the franchise's best? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The Blue Jays playoff push continues after a win last night against the New York Yankees making the series 2-0. Can they cap off with a series sweep in the Bronx. Host Blake Murphy recaps last night's 6-1 win and is joined by Kaitlyn McGrath (29:58) from The Athletic to discuss Vladimir Guerrero Jr. being scratched from last night's game and if there should be any concerns for him going down the final stretch. Next up, Blake is joined by Senior MLB writer of ESPN David Schoenfield (51:33) to discuss the mess of the AL West and who is a better team to play in the postseason. Next up Sportsnet's own Arden Zwelling joins the show (1:19:18) to discuss the potential use of Cam Eden, Davis Schneider's bad stretch and the lights out performance from Kevin Gausman. Finally, both Blake and Arden close out the show with tonight's preview with Jose Berrios on the mound. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-1 win over the Yankees! They take your calls, and get to the eighth inning in which the Yankees bullpen couldn't stop walking Blue Jays batters - how important is that when it comes to the overall team approach? They discuss the outings from Cavan Biggio, Bo Bichette, and Spencer Horwitz, the latter of which knocked in a two-run single to blow the game open late. Plus, they discuss Kevin Gausman's 10 K game in which he notched a new career-high in Ks with 232. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The Blue Jays' playoff push stayed on track Tuesday night, winning the first game of their series in the Bronx. Host Blake Murphy recaps the 7-1 win with Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith, who zeroes in on George Springer lead-off home run, Yusei Kikuchi leaving the game early, and the Jays' prime position to control their own destiny. Next, Blake checks in with Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes fills us in on how the season wrapped up for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (34:51). To start the second hour, Blake looks to the Big Apple to analyze what's gone wrong for the Yankees this season with the help of WFAN's Keith McPherson (56:37). FanGraphs’ Ben Clemens wraps things up today with his view on the American League Wild Card, how the Jays measure up to their competition, and who they might match up against (01:14:30). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 7-1 win over the Yankees to open the season's final road trip! They take your calls and texts, and get into the offence blasting three home runs - Bichette, Springer, Kirk - was there something different in Bo's swing after the Red Sox series? They chat Springer going yard on his 34th birthday, and the continued elevated play of Cavan Biggio - is the cleanup spot the right place for him? Plus, they discuss Yusei Kikuchi's outing in which he suffered a muscle cramp, and the play of the bullpen who did the heavy lifting to wrap up the game. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

After a day off, host Blake Murphy is back to set the table for final two weeks of the MLB season. He quickly revisits the Blue Jays' weekend sweep of the Red Sox, before looking ahead to the remaining schedule for all teams in the hunt for the American League Wild Card. Next, we turn out attention to a positive story within the Blue Jays organization, recognizing the Vancouver Canadians, who for the fifth time in franchise history and the first time in High-A, are champions of the Northwest League. Blake catches up with the C’s manager, Brent Lavallee, to talk about the team’s remarkable 2023 season (14:43). We shift focus back to the big leagues ahead of this week's series in New York with Bob Lorenz, YES Network studio host, for some insight on the Bronx Bombers and their recent success (35:34). In the second hour, Sportsnet Blue Jays producer and numbers specialist, Chris Black joins Blake in-studio to dive into some recent new data around the Blue Jays, specifically at the plate, and identifies which "fringe guys" deserve to be in the lineup more frequently (50:40). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

With Blake Murphy off for today, Jays Talk veterans Ben Shulman and Sho Alli hop aboard to host following a weekend sweep of the Boston Red Sox! The pair look into what went into the Blue Jays' turnaround, what these victories mean for the morale surrounding the team and their fanbase, and what to expect heading into a series in the Bronx. They open up the JTP Mailbag to gauge listeners' confidence in the team, before breaking down the remaining schedule for all American League Wild Card teams in the hunt (35:57). In the second hour, The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath stops by to share her thoughts on the wacky week that was, before looking ahead to project the Jays' home stretch of the season (54:20). Later on, WFAN’s Emmanuel Berbari joins the program fresh off of calling the Yankees weekend series, to help tee up Toronto's upcoming trip to New York (01:22:33). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Ben Shulman break down the Blue Jays' 3-2 walk-off win over the Red Sox at the Rogers Centre to complete the sweep! They take your calls and texts, and get right to the Matt Chapman RBI triple to win it in the bottom of the ninth inning - how important was that for Chapman after his season to-date? They discuss the contributions of Cavan Biggio as of late, both on offence and defence, and get to the bullpen turning in some great work. How big is it for the relievers that Chad Green looks as good as he does? Plus, they chat about the idea of 'deserving a playoff spot'. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Ben Shulman break down the Blue Jays' 4-3 extra-innings win over the Red Sox at the Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and get right to the Whit Merrifield swinging bunt - is that something that Merrifield can build on going forward after a tough month? They discuss the phenomenal stuff from the bullpen to hold the score going into the 13th inning, especially from Jordan Romano who shoved for two innings, and Chad Green who continues to look sharper. They debate the baserunning efforts and pinch-hit decisions, and also shower some praise on Chris Bassitt, who set a new career-high in innings pitched following his seven innings of work. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 3-0 shutout win over the Red Sox to open the series at the Rogers Centre! They take your calls, and get to the seven innings of eight strikeout no-run ball from José Berríos - is that one of the better performances from Berríos of the season, considering the circumstances? They discuss the three-run bomb from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and get into the response from the team at-large following the games from earlier in the week. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The last game of the so-called most important series of the season for the Blue Jays went about as well as the first three; another loss to complete the sweep at the hands of the Texas Rangers. Host Blake Murphy goes over the series with the help of Sportsnet’s own Shi Davidi. They discuss the letdown and disappointment of this past week from the team and fans alike, before shifting focus to this weekend's series against the Red Sox and how to get back on track. Speaking of Boston, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald shares some insight on the team and the mood around Fenway after the organization parted ways with Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom (31:17). In the second hour, Blake welcomes on The Athletic's Andy McCullough to take a trip around baseball to discuss the playoff races that are still up in the air, before chatting about his book on Clayton Kershaw titled “The Last Of His Kind” (53:55). To close out today, Blake checks in with Patrick Dubuque of Baseball Prospectus, who explains how Davis Schneider has been defying DRC+, before sharing his thoughts on the A.L. Wild Card race (01:13:46). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 9-2 loss to the Rangers at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and discuss the Jays getting swept in a four-game September series at home for the first time in franchise history - a new low? They chat the start from Kevin Gausman, the bullpen giving up more runs, the two-run bomb from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and where the focal point should lie after the biggest series of the year ended in such a disappointing fashion. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

A joyless 10-0 loss at the hands of the Texas Rangers in front of a home crowd brought out the boo birds at Rogers Centre. Host Blake Murphy, who was in attendance, breaks down both the game and atmosphere down at the park. He brings on Sportsnet's Joe Siddall to help him remember that the team is still in the hunt for a postseason position despite their poor performance over the last three games. Next, Blake checks in with Dan Szymborski of FanGraphs about the latest playoff odds and how easily things swing at this time of the season, before sizing up both Wild Card races and the teams that sit in prime positions to clinch (30:18). To start the second hour, Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling joins Blake in-studio to examine why the Jays have been a complete no-show in a series everyone deemed the most important of the season. The pair focus in at how approaches change from series to series and keys to help get the team back on track (50:10). To close out today, MLB.com's Mike Petriello brings some positivity when talking about his latest piece on Davis Schneider's unbelievable start to his MLB career, before eventually facing the music to discuss Toronto's recent struggles and how this team can right the ship (01:17:17). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 10-0 shutout loss to the Rangers at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and discuss the boo birds that rained down for much of the game - deserved at this point or no? How does the offence keep on putting out results in big moments like this? They discuss the third inning as a microcosm of the whole season, and chat big picture items, including who should take the fall if the season continues to goes pear-shaped. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Following another disappointing night at Rogers Centre in this all-important series against the Texas Rangers, host Blake Murphy echoes the fans’ dismay. He brings on Kaitlyn McGrath, MLB writer at The Athletic, to get her thoughts on the Blue Jays and what areas need to improve on both sides of the field. Later on, Blake is joined by Mike Warne and Kate MacLean of the Toronto band PKEW PKEW PKEW. Both musicians are baseball enthusiasts and huge Jays fans, so it's only right to chat about their new song “The Night John Buck Hit Three Home Runs” from their latest album "SIIICK DAYS", set to release on September 22nd (34:45). The second hour is highlighted by Sportsnet Producer Chris Black's weekly visit to help sift through the Jays' latest trends, what’s attributing to their lack of success in big games, and how they can improve in their final two against Texas (49:49). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-3 loss to the Rangers at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and get to another loss to the Rangers that now clinches the season series for Texas. Is there an energy problem in the dugout? What can be done to remedy that if that is the case? They discuss the start from Hyun-jin Ryu, and the 1-for-12 from the top three of Springer, Bichette, and Vladdy Jr. - how do they get out of the slump? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Monday's result was not the start the Blue Jays and their fans had hoped for in Game 1 of this important series with the Texas Rangers. Host Blake Murphy breaks down what went wrong including Chris Bassitt's shaky start and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s night to forget offensively with the help Sportsnet's Madison Shipman. The two also look ahead to tonight’s match-up on the mound between Hyun-jin Ryu and Max Scherzer. After that, Blake is joined by Jay Jaffe, FanGraphs Senior Writer, to weigh in on the American League Wild Card mess, before zeroing in on the Rangers' top of the order of Corey Seager and Marcus Semien producing at a near-MVP pace (29:51). In the second hour, Sportsnet’s own Ben Nicholson-Smith stops by to discuss the story he broke on Alek Manoah in more detail, before turning his attention to this Rangers series and what the Jays have to do to put themselves in a good position for the postseason (50:12). Lastly, Blake talks with Levi Weaver, author of The Windup daily MLB newsletter for The Athletic, who shares his take on the Jays-Rangers series, as well as the Wild Card race as a whole (01:21:12). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 10-4 loss to the Rangers at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls and get right to the offence not showing up - after it happens so many times, what do you say or do next? They discuss the approach at the plate from everyone, and also debate the send of Kevin Kiermaier - was it the right move? Plus, they chat about the start from Chris Bassitt - including the disengagement violation - the play of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the usage of the bullpen. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The Blue Jays' fulfilled fans' wishes this weekend with a sweep of the Kansas City Royals, capped off with some odd luck to help in Sunday’s win. Host Blake Murphy gives his thoughts on a positive weekend for Toronto’s team heading into an important series with the Texas Rangers with MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson. Next up, Blake checks in with CityNews reporter Lindsay Dunn on the atmosphere around the team, both inside the clubhouse and within the fanbase, before sharing her experience at the George Springer Bowling Benefit in support of The Stuttering Association for the Young (33:52). In the second hour, Blue Jays TV voice on Sportsnet, Dan Shulman weighs in on Canada Basketball's historic weekend at the FIBA World Cup, before breaking down the Jays' big weekend and George Springer's tendency to heat up as the weather cools down (50:38). To close, Blake turns his attention the visitor’s dugout with the help of MLB.com's Kennedi Landry for some insight on the Rangers as they come into town (01:18:18). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Ben Shulman break down the Blue Jays' 5-2 win over the Royals to complete the sweep at the Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and get to the small ball played in the eighth inning - is that something the team can build on regardless of opponent? They debate who should man the hot corner when Matt Chapman returns given the play of both Santiago Espinal and Cavan Biggio, and also chat about the recent play of Jordan Romano, who made it an adventure in the ninth inning. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Ben Shulman break down the Blue Jays' 5-1 win over the Royals at Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and get to the superb outing from Kevin Gausman as he racked up 10 strikeouts over eight innings of work. How important was it for Gausman to have a bounce back game after the recent stretch of starts? They also chat George Springer's two home runs and four RBI - is this just what to expect from Springer every September? Plus, they discuss the slide at home plate from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and the recent elevated stretch of play for Cavan Biggio. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 5-4 win over the Royals to open the series at Rogers Centre! They take your calls, and get right to the two RBI from Bo Bichette, who tied the game (twice) in his return off the IL. They discuss the big AB from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to give the Jays a lead in the seventh, Davis Schneider getting aboard four times, the play of Daulton Varsho, and whether or not Whit Merrifield might need to take a seat for a day or two. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Following yesterday's off-day, the fully rested Blue Jays are back at home and gearing up for a pivotal 10 game stretch. Blake Murphy kicks off the show with Jonah Birenbaum, senior editor at theScore, to discuss the state of the Wild Card race, the idea of the Jays missing opportunities all season, and how the team's confidence level can change if Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. catch a hot streak. Later, the guys look ahead to next week's crucial series with the Texas Rangers, before previewing this weekend's matchup against the Kansas City Royals (28:26). Next up, Esteban Rivera of Fangraphs joins the show to chat about the success story of Cole Ragans this season, the idea of the New York Yankees making a comeback in the Wild Card race, and if the Jays withstand the Wild Card competition in September (51:10). Finally, Sportsnet's own Arden Zwelling stops by to discuss the Blue Jays' injury updates, Bo Bichette’s expected return, what's holding up Matt Chapman's recovery, and why these next 10 games at home are crucial for the Blue Jays (01:15:01). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The Blue Jays end their road trip with a loss to the lowly Athletics, which brings some disappointment with it ahead of a crucial stretch at home. Host Blake Murphy recaps his takeaways from the series finale in Oakland, before opening up the JTP mailbag to read some audience texts and tweets! Next up, Editor-in-Chief at Baseball America, J.J. Cooper checks in to discuss how Major League Baseball is tweaking some of the new rules implemented in the minors this season, before delving into Jays prospect Ricky Tiedemann's recent outings (30:00). Sportsnet’s own Ben Nicholson-Smith kicks off the second hour with a deep dive into the Jays' road trip, the importance of this upcoming homestand, and the latest on Toronto's injured and unavailable players including Alek Manoah (52:15). To close out today’s show, Blake welcomes Ben Verlander of FOX Sports and the Flippin’ Bats podcast to go around the horn on MLB's landscape and postseason picture, including the A.L. Wild Card race (01:20:56). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 5-2 loss to the Athletics to wrap up the road trip. They take your calls, and discuss the two pitches that both Hyun-jn Ryu and Trevor Richards would like back. Did anyone think the Kevin Smith three-run bomb was out of the Coliseum? They discuss the play from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. both in this game and overall, and the good outings from both Chad Green and Davis Schneider. Plus, they do discuss the latest outing from Ryu, who let up two earned runs over five innings. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

With one big offensive inning and another strong start from Chris Bassitt, the Blue Jays are back in a postseason position, overtaking the Texas Rangers for the final Wild Card spot! Host Blake Murphy brings on The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath to dive deeper into the team’s recent string on victories, winning five of their last six, and how they can further that momentum down the stretch. Next up, Blake checks in with former Major Leaguer, Buffalo Bisons hitting coach and Blue Jays swing consultant, Matt Hague, to get some insight into the success we’re seeing from the team’s recent call-ups, before sharing some other names Jays fans can look forward to seeing in the future (26:55). Sportsnet Blue Jays producer and statistician Chris Black kicks off the second hour chatting about the buzz surrounding the Jays' upcoming schedule, as well as the incoming roster decisions the team will have to make with Bo Bichette and Matt Chapman returning. Later, the two “numbers guys” dig deeper into the stat sheet to determine which trends should balance out, and which ones could linger (53:55). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 7-1 win over the Athletics in Oakland! He takes your calls and texts, and gets right to the eight innings of one-run ball from Chris Bassitt, who dominates the As in his return to his old stomping grounds. Was there a finger issue bothering him, and does that make the outing more impressive? Sho discusses the offensive production from Kevin Kiermaier who got the rally going in the seventh, and Alejandro Kirk who reached base four times - how much of a gamble was it to not pinch run for Kirk in the seventh? Plus, some scoreboard watching as the Jays reclaim a playoff spot with the win. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

It took extra innings, but the Blue Jays found a way to win the series opener against baseball’s last place team, the Oakland Athletics, to move within half game of the final Wild Card spot. Host Blake Murphy brings on former big leaguer and co-host of Blair and Barker, Kevin Barker, to chat about the contributions from the Jays' Triple-A call ups and the signs that the offence could finally be coming around. After that, Blake opens up the mailbag to respond to your texts and tweets (31:36)! To start the second hour, MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson stops by to dissect some of the recent trends with the team, as well as some possible moves to expect ahead of next week's showdown with the Rangers (50:47). To close out today, Blake gets some insight into Texas' struggles of late with Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post (01:16:52). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-5 win in extras over the Athletics! They take your calls, and they get to the swing decisions from the bats leading up to the tenth inning - can they change things going forward? Why have those same decisions looked better for the young guys like Spencer Horwitz and Ernie Clement? They also get to the usage of the bullpen, the six innings from José Berríos, and the way both Santiago Espinal and Cavan Biggio acquitted themselves in big moments late in the win. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Ben Shulman and Julia Kreuz are filling in for Blake on Labour Day, and they kick off the show with a comprehensive analysis of the weekend series in Denver. Later, Sportsnet's Zach Worden stops by to explore how these call-ups “became The Buffalo Bunch,” their potential sustainability, and an updated assessment of the Blue Jays' playoff prospects (32:31). Afterwards, a look around the AL Wild Card race (52:20). To wrap up, Baseball America's Kyle Glaser (1:18:07) joins to discuss the Oakland A's fire sale and youth movement, the possible Sin City relocation, impact prospects, and his impressions of the current one’s within the Blue Jays' system. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Ben Shulman break down the Blue Jays' 7-5 win over the Rockies to claim a series victory in Colorado! They take your calls and texts, and get to the contributions of the young Bisons call-ups, including Spencer Horwitz clobbering his first major league home run amidst three hits, and Ernie Clement knocking in three hits of his own including some insurance runs in the ninth inning. Plus, they discuss both the good and bad from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the four innings from Kevin Gausman (who did not return after the rain delay), and the performance from the bullpen which saw a big bounce back for Chad Green. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli and Ben Shulman break down the Blue Jays' 8-7 loss to the Rockies at Coors Field. They take your calls and texts, and get to the rough night for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who was the lone starter to end the game without a hit. After hitting into two double plays, the guys chat about the proposed text-line ideas re: moving him down in the order, giving him a game off, or making some kind of change to give him a reset. What needs to happen? They also discuss the start from Yusei Kikuchi in which he went 4.2 IP and allowed six runs (two earned) - what went wrong? Plus, they chat about the bullpen, both good and bad when it comes to Yimi Garcia and Genesis Cabrera. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 13-9 win over the Rockies to start the road trip! He takes your texts and gets right to the offence finally showing up - was the Alejandro Kirk three-run double one of the most important late-season moments? How important is it for Kirk to keep this up now with a Danny Jansen hand fracture? He gets to the ABs seen from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., including some unfortunate Angel Hernandez-induced results, and also discusses the play of Davis Schneider and Ernie Clement. Is Clement making a case to stay in the majors, and how has Schneider looked at third base? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy opens the show recapping some MLB action from last night, before briefly teeing up this weekend's series in Colorado. Hitting leadoff is the Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath, who joins Blake to discuss the Jays’ indifference during Thursday’s waiver hunt, the anticipated September call-ups on both the offensive and defensive sides, and realistic expectations for the team down the stretch. Next up, Blake is joined by prospect writer Doug Fox, who explores the composition of the newly expanded roster. He shares insights on players like Spencer Horowitz and Mason McCoy, discusses Rickey Tiedemann's recent performance, and outlines the developmental plan for him in the short term (31:46). Later on, Suzie Hunter from DNVR Sports joins the show for a comprehensive review of the Rockies' season, before sharing DNVR's list of the greatest Colorado athletes, and a preview of the upcoming weekend series (50:00). Finishing in the cleanup spot for today's show is Meg Rowley of FanGraphs, who discusses the Mariners' meteoric rise in the second half, its impact on the A.L. Wild Card race, and her West Coast perspective of the 2023 Blue Jays (01:10:53). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy kicks things off summarizing yesterday afternoon's series-clinching victory against the Nationals. Sportsnet Blue Jays Producer Chris Black stops by to help analyze Chris Bassitt's performance and the pros and cons of Alejandro Kirk, before indenting some potential call-ups for September in pursuit of a playoff spot. The hour concludes with Blake opening up the JTP Mailbag, addressing the array of your questions and comments (42:41). Sportsnet’s Dan Shulman kicks off the second hour with some additional insight into the series victory against Washington and the upcoming nine games against last-place teams, before concluding with a discussion on the FIBA World Cup (50:45). Wrapping up today's show is Lance Brozdowski of the Marquee Sports Network, who delves into the pitching tendencies of MLB teams, how it relates to the Blue Jays, and some potential valuable waiver wire options (01:17:00). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 7-0 shutout win over the Nationals to wrap up the series at Rogers Centre! They take your calls, and get to the eight scoreless innings from Chris Bassitt - has he performed exactly as expected, or has he actually exceeded expectations? They get to the three RBI from Alejandro Kirk - how important is it for the offence overall that he turns it around before the end of the year? Plus, they get to the roster construction, the necessity of winning more games in this stretch of teams under .500, and discuss the state of the starting rotation. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy kicks things off with a brief recap of the Blue Jays' recent setback on Tuesday Night at Rogers Centre. Keegan Matheson from MLB.com helps dissect the team's current sense of urgency, examines instances of tactical 'mismanagement' on the field, plus the intriguing post-game media scrum with John Schneider. To conclude the first hour, Blake is joined by Mitchell Hooper from Longevity Nexum. The discussion explores Mitchell's background in Health and Nutritional Sciences, along with his remarkable achievement of being crowned the World's Strongest Man in 2023, before shifting towards the realm of strength and conditioning in baseball (32:00). Kicking off the second hour is Sportsnet’s Ben Wagner, who shares looks into some potential waiver targets following the Angels fire sale, and deliberate who should take the primary chunk of Bo Bichette’s reps at shortstop (53:40). In the final segment, Blake welcomes in Ben Clemens from FanGraphs, who delves into Arte Moreno's choice to cast out certain Angels, the teams best positioned to capitalize on Thursday’s waiver deadline, and which players could offer the greatest returns as a late-season investment (01:19:40). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 5-4 loss to the Nationals at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and get right to the Alejandro Kirk send from third base in the eighth inning - why wasn't he pinch run for there? Is there an acceptable explanation, or was it a mistake from John Schneider? They discuss the start from José Berríos - is he suffering from some fatigue as the season goes on? Plus, they get to the play of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with Bo Bichette on the IL once again - what's needed from him? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The Blue Jays picked up a conventional win at Rogers Centre on Monday night, finally providing some run support for Kevin Gausman to beat the Nationals 6-3. Host Blake Murphy breaks down the victory with Sportsnet’s own Ben Nicholson-Smith! The two discuss Kevin Gausman's season as a whole, the injuries plaguing the Jays right now, who will step in to fill the gaps, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. taking reps at *checks notes* third base?! After that, Blake takes a big picture view of the Majors with MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, who checks in on the postseason races around the league and identifies the deciding factors heading down the stretch (30:55). Later on, Blake connects with Andrew Golden of the Washington Post, who is in Toronto covering this series, to get some insight on the Nationals' strong second half of the season (50:30). Lastly, Blake is joined by Tim Britton, senior MLB writer at The Athletic, who helps determine a team’s best path to compete in October, and the lessons learned from the New York Mets this year (01:14:00).   The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-3 win over the Nationals at Rogers Centre! They take your calls, and discuss the offence coming through against Washington, including a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. two-run double and a solo bomb from Danny Jansen. They discuss the outing for Kevin Gausman, who allowed three earned runs over five innings of work - is he being overworked, or is this just natural for any pitcher at this time of year? Plus, they chat about the usage of the bullpen, who locked it down after Gausman departed the game. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The Blue Jays dropped a heart-breaker on Sunday against the Guardians, costing them a series win at a crucial point of the season. Host Blake Murphy takes you through the series versus Cleveland and some of the pivotal plays that determined the outcome, highlighted by Toronto's inability to produce at opportune times. Later on, Blake invites Sportsnet NHL insider and Jays fan Elliotte Friedman into the studio to talk out some of his frustrations around Toronto’s MLB team (09:35). After that, Blake takes stock of the entire American League to determine who the true contenders are with ESPN’s David Schoenfield (28:00). In the second hour, Sportsnet’s own Arden Zwelling stops by to help diagnose the Jays' recent troubles including some of their latest injury concerns, players’ training regimens, and projections for the team's key players down the stretch (50:25). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 10-7 extra innings loss to the Guardians to wrap up the series at the Rogers Centre. He takes your calls and texts, and gets to the numerous mistakes, including a failed bunt attempt from Cavan Biggio that led to Danny Jansen getting thrown out at third base. Will the inability to play 'small ball' continue to bite the Jays moving forward? He also discusses the outing from Yusei Kikuchi, the inconsistent strike zone hurting both teams, Davis Schneider continuing to provide some power, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. going yard for his 20th home run of the year. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 8-3 win over the Guardians to even the series at Rogers Centre! He takes your calls and texts, and gets right to the big day from Davis Schneider, who had three RBI (including a two-run shot) and finishing a triple short of the cycle. How important is it that he plays every single day going forward? How does the lineup get juggled if that's the case - which vet takes a seat? Plus, Sho gets to Hyun-jin Ryu's five innings of work allowing two earned runs - was he yanked too early, or was this a case of the bullpen being deployed correctly? The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.