Blair & Barker

Ben Ennis and Kevin Barker begin the second hour discussing what Brett Bateman has brought to the lineup, Charles McAdoo's hard-hitting abilities, José Soriano's third start with the Blue Jays before bringing on Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin (20:25) to chat about the leading the AL East team, what Junior Caminero's ceiling could be, the roster relishing in bunt opportunities, and their running game. Then, Blue Jays reporter Arden Zwelling (31:17) joins the guys to chat about Ricky Tiedemann's major league debut, what has gone right for Brendon Little, how John Schneider and Pete Walker approaches their open spot in the rotation, Kazuma Okamoto trying to find consistency at the plate, Max Scherzer's approach for the rest of the season, and how David Popkins has navigated an up and down offensive 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.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ben Ennis, filling in for Jeff Blair, and Kevin Barker open the week with a look back on the Blue Jays' weekend series against the New York Yankees. They discuss recent improved pitching performances, the Jays' standing in the Wild Card race, Alejandro Kirk's hot stretch, the implications of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s concussion, and Ricky Tiedemann's Major League debut. Then, Sportsnet TV's voice of the Blue Jays Dan Shulman (28:03) stops by to discuss the different feel around the team since the trade deadline, whether the recent run is sustainable, Kazuma Okamoto's streaky rookie season, Brett Bateman's instant impact, Tyler Rogers' unsung dominance, 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.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Blue Jays radio play-by-play voice Ben Shulman (2:55) joins Jeff and Kevin to discuss the confidence John Schneider and the coaching staff have in putting Brett Bateman leading off the order, how Shane Bieber can learn from his start against the Phillies now against the visiting New York Yankees, the clubhouse's mood against a division rival, the Jays' struggles with using the ABS, Jesús Sánchez's future playing everyday, Paul Sewald's deployment, and if Gerrit Cole has a upper hand in facing Toronto for the first time since 2024. Then, Yankees radio colour commentator Suzyn Waldman stops by (27:00) to chat about what has changed for Cole since Tommy John surgery, if George Lombard Jr. has solidified his spot as New York's shortstop of the future, how Ben Rice has adjusted his hitting without Aaron Judge around him, when Yankees fans can expect Judge will return, and if Aaron Boone has navigated his way in securing AL Manager 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.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker get set for the Blue Jays' crucial upcoming stretch, starting with a weekend set against the New York Yankees. They discuss the Jays standing in the Wild Card race, the team's 7-0 series-closing loss against the Red Sox, what Paul Sewald brings to the bullpen, and more. Then, Blue Jays manager John Schneider joins the show (27:40) to discuss the team's keys to success against Gerrit Cole, a different feel in the clubhouse, the plan for Sewald, whether he'd consider moving Vladimir Guerrero Jr. down the order, Brett Bateman's early success, and what Kazuma Okamoto has learned through his rookie 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. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.