Blair & Barker

Former MLB pitcher and co-host of Intentional Talk, Ryan Dempster (5:29) joins Jeff and Kevin to discuss the Seattle Mariners potentially missing the post-season with the roster they have on paper, how to grade managers' season, finding a team identity, unorthodox ways of creating offence, and how deep can the Blue Jays go into the post-season. Then, the guys go to the Back-Leg Line to hear your calls!

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 Toronto Blue Jays series win over the Tampa Bay Rays and the team receiving some help in the Wild Card standings with how other series played out over the weekend. The guys discuss Toronto clicking at the right time and react to comments from Chris Bassitt and George Springer on the team’s recent play. With one week left in the regular season, Blair & Barker do a deep-dive in ‘Around the Wild Card’ and invite Mark McLemore, Mike Stanton, and Ryan Divish on the program to analyze the Rangers, Astros, and Mariners respectively (26:10).

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 start the show by teeing up Friday’s series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays and why coming away with a series win won’t be an easy task. They also take a look at the Jays’ loss in the Bronx and highlight the team’s struggles against elite pitching. Then, Rays’ colour analyst, Brian Anderson (27:44), stops by to break down the keys to Tyler Glasnow’s success this year and what the Jays can expect from him Friday. Additionally, Brian gives the guys his pick for the Rays’ MVP. Later, Jays’ Manager John Schneider sits down with Jeff and Kevin (49:39) to get us ready for this weekend’s series against the Rays. He also provides the latest on Vladdy, his thoughts on the current lineup and why it’s hard not to keep one eye on the playoff standings 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 start the hour with FOX Sports MLB analyst Ben Verlander, who looks at how Shohei Ohtani’s free agency outlook has changed since his injury and surgery, if he might move to the bullpen when he returns to the mound and whether the Blue Jays could be in on the Ohtani sweepstakes. Then, he looks at the AL playoff picture and how the Jays fare with their roster construction. Later, Jeff Passan stops by (28:31) to share his thoughts on Yusei Kikuchi’s sleep schedule and some of the weirder sleep quirks in MLB history, the Tigers’ new GM hire Jeff Greenberg and the future of the Blue Jays 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.

Jeff Blair & Kevin Barker hit the airwaves after Toronto’s second consecutive win over the New York Yankees and discuss the Jays’ approach against New York’s bullpen after Michael King exited the game and Kevin Gausman’s standout performance. Before the break, the guys talk about Alek Manoah’s status after Sportsnet’s Ben-Nicholson Smith reported that he received multiple injections in his pitching arm. World Series-winning Manager Joe Maddon re-joins the show and shares his thoughts on what it takes to win in the postseason when the calendar turns to October (28:20).

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 & Kevin Barker start the second hour with Buck Martinez who shares his thoughts on what to expect from Kevin Gausman tonight, Bo Bichette’s defensive improvement this season and how Alejandro Kirk has adjusted to an increased workload with Danny Jansen out. Later, the guys react to breaking news of Vlad Guerrero Jr being scratched for tonight's game with right knee discomfort, more on Yusei Kikuchi’s sleeping habits and take your calls 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.

Jeff Blair & Kevin Barker recap game one of the Blue Jays-Yankees series, Yusei Kikuchi’s performance, and his sleeping habits after picking up his 10th win of the season in the Bronx. The guys welcome Yankees broadcaster and radio hall of famer Suzyn Waldman back on the show (26:10) to discuss the underwhelming seasons for both New York and Boston in the AL East, Michael King’s “stuff” on the mound, Alex Volpe as the Yankees’ shortstop of the future, and why Gerrit Cole’s Cy Young-calibre season could’ve been even more impressive with more run support.

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 start the second hour with Shi Davidi to tee up tonight's series opener between the Jays and Yankees and share his thoughts on the vibes around the Yankees’ clubhouse, Yusei Kikuchi’s command drop-off and Cavan Biggio hitting himself into Schneider’s circle of trust. Later, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times on the Rays’ new stadium deal, a look at the stadium’s timeline and the challenges standing in its way (14:31). Blue Jays Amateur Baseball program manager TJ Burton tees up the Canadian Futures Showcase held at the Rogers Centre this week with the Jays on their road trip, the significance of the tourney as an MLB pipeline and how it’s grown the game in Canada (27:29). They close with your calls on the Back Leg Line (38:07)!

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.

Jeff Blair & Kevin Barker look ahead to the Blue Jays upcoming series against the Yankees with Yusei Kikuchi taking the mound for game one in the Bronx. The guys examine the Blue Jays lineup for the opening game and wonder if Don Mattingly could be a candidate to be New York’s manager if they were to move on from Aaron Boone after the season. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi joins the show (27:38) to discuss the latest around the majors including Adam Wainwright reaching 200 career victories and if 200 is still a noteworthy milestone for pitchers before addressing the breaking news on Shohei Ohtani who underwent a procedure and will only hit in 2024, not pitch.

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 start the second hour with Jayson Stark of the Athletic, who shares his thoughts on the Rays’ potential new stadium deal, the landscape of the AL Wild Card race down the stretch, the payoff of the new schedule and playoff format and how the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes have changed. Former MLB pitcher and Orioles TV analyst Ben McDonald shares his thoughts on Baltimore clinching a playoff spot for the first time since 2016, how they have navigated around Felix Bautista’s absence and which young star will have the keys to the franchise in the future (29:58). Finally, Brian McTaggart, Astros reporter with MLB.com, joins the show (38:25) to discuss Houston’s status in the Wild Card race, whether there should be concerns over the rotation and the importance of Michael Brantley.

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.