Blue Jays Talk

MLB Network's Adnan Virk joins Blake Murphy to discuss how the Jays stack up against the rest in the AL East division as the season heads into the final stretch, why he values the team's offence over their pitching rotation, the streakiness of the batters, what is Bo Bichette's future contract worth, and who is the front runner for AL MVP and Cy Young awards (4:43). Vancouver Canadians manager, Brent Lavallee stops by to chat about his experience managing a baseball club based in his home town, the differences between college to high-A, the balancing act of helping young players work towards their strengths and weaknesses, the gratification of seeing prospects getting promoted and his report on 3B Damiano Palmegiani, OF Gabriel Martinez and SS Alex de Jesus (25:15). The Athletic's Keith Law breaks down his concerns with Ricky Tiedemann's delivery in his pitches, adjusting where pitchers stand on the mound, what're the next steps for Orelvis Martinez in his at-bats, and his assessment of Orioles' top prospect Gunnar Henderson (50:07). Then, Spin Rate podcast's Drew Fairservice weighs in on the chances Shohei Ohtani's chances of winning the MVP and Cy Young in one season, how the team should pitch against Pirates' O'Neil Cruz, and the team's decision to call up Casey Lawrence from Buffalo (1:15:00).

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' 7-5 loss to the Cubs to wrap up a 2-4 homestand at Rogers Centre. They take your calls and texts, and discuss the start from Mitch White - do the Jays have an issue once again with the fifth starter spot? They get to the way the bullpen was managed tonight, and discuss the continually improving play from Teoscar Hernandez. Plus, a chat on Santiago Espinal and whether or not he should get more starts at second base 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.

Blue Jays' colour analyst Buck Martinez joins Blake Murphy to discuss his fishing trip opportunity through the Jays Care Foundation Auction, the use of analytics during a broadcast, his impressions on starter Mitch White, the use of the changeup in a pitcher's arsenal, and if the team is feeling a sense of urgency following an up and down August (2:45). FanGraphs' David Laurila shares his conversation with Mitch White, his process of learning to pitch, how he avoids blisters, Jordan Romano's path from hockey to baseball, and if the Jays have enough good arms in the bullpen to make a run in the post-season (24:26). The Athletic's Kaitlyn McGrath weighs in on how the team will approach the upcoming roster expansion, Yusei Kikuchi's potential next start, John Schneider's juggling of the batting lineup, and the bullpen's performance since the trade deadline (49:13).

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 Cubs at Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and get to the evening from Teoscar Hernandez, one where he had a sliding grab to end an inning and hitting a three-run bomb as well. Is he in the midst of bouncing back? They also discuss another dominant appearance from Jordan Romano, and chat about the confidence level you feel when he's on the mound these days. Plus, a discussion on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and seeing him get the ball in the air for a late-inning homer.

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.

Sportsnet producer Chris Black joins Blake Murphy for another edition of Explain It Black as they touch on scenarios where the Jays should try for a bunt with runners in scoring position, Jose Berrios' regression on his fastball pitch, velocity dipping down for Kevin Gausman, and how batters can decrease chasing sliders in their at-bats (2:48). Jays TV play-by-play voice Dan Shulman jumps on to discuss Danny Jansen's heroics since returning to the lineup, Matt Chapman's defence in the infield and growing leadership within the clubhouse (27:38). Then, radio voice Ben Wagner stops by to chat about his experience taking a fishing trip with Buck Martinez, Marcus Stroman's tenure with the Jays, and how Ben approaches working a doubleheader (49:28). Afterward, FanGraphs' Ben Clemens breaks down Berrios struggles in the opener against the Cubs, why improving his changeup can help bolster his other pitches, and why he has strong optimism with Bo Bichette in his at-bats (1:07:04). Finally, Blake previews Marcus Stroman's return to Toronto, and we hear comments from the Cubs starter on his relationship with the fanbase (1:25:55).

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' 5-4 walk-off win over the Cubs at Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and discuss the hero of the hour Danny Jansen getting the Jays on the board with a three-run bomb and adding the walk-off RBI single for good measure. They also discuss the stellar play of Matt Chapman at third base, and how much confidence that instills in the rest of the team. Plus, yet another chat on Bo Bichette and his play at shortstop this 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.

Blake Murphy is joined by MLB Network's Jon Morosi's to discuss if he's seen a regression in Vlad Jr.'s performance this season compared to last year's MVP-candidacy run, if the momentum has shifted onto the Mariners, Rays and Orioles within the AL standings, and what're the next steps in unionizing minor league players (5:55). MLB.com's Julia Kreuz stops by to chat about the vibe within the clubhouse following a sweep by the Angels, Teoscar Hernandez's lapses between the bases and on the field, Bradley Zimmer being reclaimed by the Jays, and if Julian Merryweather would be next to be called up back to the main roster (22:33). Then, ESPN's Joon Lee takes a deep dive on the MLBPA's efforts on unionizing minor leaguers, the negative history with how players have been treated, and the issues with the international draft (1:02:41). Chicago Tribune's Meghan Montemurro shares what the Jays can expect when they face pitcher Jeremiah Estrada coming from the minors, and what the Cubs like about starter Javier Assad (1:14:05).

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' 8-3 loss to finish off a sweep at the hands of the visiting Angels. They take your calls and texts, and discuss the struggles of Teoscar Hernandez, including whether or not he should be benched in the near future. They get to the larger struggles, and debate John Schneider and if he needs to flip a table in the clubhouse to fire up the team. They also discuss the idea of leadership on this team, whether or not it can ultimately come from a young guy like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and what his future contract might look like vs. his production.

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 Caleb Joseph break down the Blue Jays' 2-0 loss to the Angels at Rogers Centre. They take your calls and texts, and get to the outstanding seven-inning performances by both Alek Manoah and Shohei Ohtani in a duel that was as advertised. They discuss the season Manoah has had to date, and how this might have been one of his more impressive performances of the season. They chat about the Wild Card race continuing to remain tight, the idea of expectations vs. reality (including what's to come in the fall), and the recent play of Bo Bichette.

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' 12-0 loss to the Angels at Rogers Centre. He takes your calls and texts, and gets to the play by Teoscar Hernandez in right field on the Shohei Ohtani two-RBI triple - did an injury prevent him from making that play? He discusses the start from Mitch White, who got hit hard right from the jump, and what you expect out of the team's fifth starter. Plus, a discussion on Yusei Kikuchi - what should his role look like going forward, even in mop-up duty?

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.