Blair & Barker

Blue Jays TV play-by-play voice Dan Shulman (1:34) joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to chat about the team's resurgence since the trade deadline, where right-handed pitcher Paul Sewald fits on the staff, growing confidence in Brendon Little, improvement on the defensive end, José Soriano's adjustments in his second start as a Blue Jay, and the pressure on Vlad Jr. Then, we hear from manager John Schneider ahead of the third game against the Boston Red Sox and what Sewald could bring out of the bullpen. Afterwards, Jays pitcher Tyler Rogers join the guys (30:57) to discuss the recent stretch of success from the team, the difficulties of pitching three days in a row as a reliever, how he recovers, becoming a submarine thrower, working with and earning pitching coach Pete Walker's trust, and his definition of 'leverage'. 

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.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker look back on the Blue Jays 5-3 win over the Boston Red Sox to pull closer in the American League's Wild Card race. They discuss the team's recent pitching uptick, the addition of reliever Paul Sewald, Dylan Cease's dip in velocity, Brendon Little's adjustments, why Brett Bateman gives the lineup a different look, and the pressure on Vladdy Jr. down the stretch. Later, ESPN MLB insider and host of 'Sources Tell' Jeff Passan stops by (28:30) to share his thoughts on the Jays' post-deadline bump, whether the Dodgers' recent offensive woes makes them vulnerable in the playoffs, whether Mark Walter selling the Lakers could have an impact on the Dodgers, the concern around Paul Skenes after his latest start was cut short, and why Cam Schlittler has the edge over Cease in the AL Cy Young 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.

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Blue Jays Central analyst and former MLB outfielder Kevin Pillar (1:15) joins Jeff and Kevin to weigh in on the 'fourth out' rule, how Dylan Cease's delivery adds to his success, post-trade deadline relief in the clubhouse, his playing time with former L.A. Angels teammate José Soriano, why Nathan Lukes is a great defender in the outfield, and what would be his advice to Vlad Jr. to work on in the offseason. Then, Jeff and Kevin continue their conversation surrounding the controversial fourth out with New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone's reaction to the play before bringing on former MLB player and manager Bobby Valentine (27:02) to get his thoughts on the ruling, how he used to his advantage while managing in Japan, how the Angels used former starter Soriano and what he can contribute to the Jays' staff, and why some pitchers are getting away with not standing on the rubber. 

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.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker look back on the Toronto Blue Jays' series-opening win over the Boston Red Sox, and they discuss the strange 'fourth out' rule at the end of the seventh inning. They look back on the controversial play, break down the rarely applied rule, and discuss the clutch performances from Andrés Giménez, Brandon Valenzuela, and Louis Varland. NESN analyst and host of 'Dodgers Territory' Alanna Rizzo (2:20) joins the show to discuss what sparked the Red Sox's mid-season turnaround, whether they're peaking too soon, what Adley Rutschman brings to Boston ahead of his potential debut, and what's happened to the suddenly slumping Dodgers.

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.

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The Athletic's and co-host of the Starkville Podcast Jayson Stark (1:09) joins Jeff and Kevin to discuss the Boston Red Sox's turnaround on both end of the field, whether Aroldis Chapman will enter the Baseball Hall of Fame once his career ends, how the Blue Jays and Phillies came out of the trade deadline, why he doesnt' understand AL Central-leading Tigers trading away Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, and if the day of the trade deadline should be moved. Then, Red Sox analyst and former MLB infielder Lou Merloni (28:46) jumps on to chat about why Willson Contreras is a definition of what it means to be a Red Sox, Wilyer Abreu's hitting, how Garrett Crochet could be used once he return from the IL, and Chad Tracy's impact as interim manager.

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.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker look back on the Toronto Blue Jays' weekend series win over the Philadelphia Phillies. They discuss the team's recent resilience in close games, wear and tear on the bullpen, the decision to send Davis Schneider back to Triple-A, the Jays' standing in the Wild Card race, and José Soriano's debut. Then, Jeff and Kevin react to Kazuma Okamoto being named a late scratch ahead of the Jays series-opener against the Red Sox, and they take your calls and questions on the Back Leg Line!

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.

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Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider (2:21) joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to discuss calling up outfielder and Jays' 20th ranked prospect Brett Bateman, why he doesn't envision moving Vlad Jr. down the lineup, José Soriano's club debut, Dylan Cease's recent run of dominance, Anthony Santander's recovery, Trey Yesavage update, and if a path is open for Ricky Tiedemann to get to the Majors. Then, Sportsnet's Ben Shulman joins the guys (27:36) to share his expectations for Soriano's Jays' debut, why Alejandro Kirk has moved up into the two-hole, if there's caution around Louis Varland's control in the 9th inning, Spencer Miles' usage, and if Shane Bieber is turning the corner.

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.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker get set for the Blue Jays' weekend series against the Philadelphia Phillies. They discuss how the Jays can attack Phillies starter Zach Wheeler in the opener and what to expect from José Soriano in his Blue Jays debut. Then, they look at the American League standings, the Jays' outlook in the Wild Card race, and whether the Red Sox are now the team to beat. Later, former Phillies GM and host of 'The Phillies Show' Ruben Amaro Jr. stops by (27:28) to share his early impressions of deadline addition Luis Arráez, why the team has been so streaky in 2026, and where Bryce Harper stands among the franchise's all-time greatest players.

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.

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Blue Jays analyst and former MLB catcher Caleb Joseph (2:49) joins Jeff and Kevin to chat about post-trade deadline clubhouse environment during his career, why he wasn't surprised who was traded off the Jays' roster, how José Soriano could be valuable in Toronto, and Spencer Miles and Braydon Fisher battling for a bigger role. Then, the guys hear from the newest Blue Jays pitcher José Soriano ahead of their second game against the Houston Astros. To wrap up, MLB Pipeline's Jonathan Mayo stops by (28:45) to discuss the return for Jeff Hoffman including left-handed pitcher Dasan Hill, how fans should analyze deals that include prospects, what separates between former Jays' prospect Arjun Nimmala and current top prospect JoJo Parker, and the Detroit Tigers' return for Tarik Skubal. 

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.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker look back on the Blue Jays' series-opening win over the Houston Astros before welcoming ESPN insider Jeff Passan (5:38) to help break down Monday's trade deadline. They discuss the Jays' moves, why it's difficult to move position players at the deadline, the Orioles' return for Adley Rutschman, why the Yankees weren't aggressive, and the Braves and Astros' underwhelming days. Later, Blue Jays Executive Vice President and GM Ross Atkins (25:18) joins the show to discuss what went into the team's unique approach to the deadline, why they didn't add an impact bat, what went wrong for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 2026, José Soriano's fit, how he evaluates opposing team's farm systems, the light-powered return in the Kevin Gausman deal, and much more.

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.

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