Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

Guests: Red Sox catcher Danny Jansen, Blue Jays associate manager DeMarlo Hale and relief pitcher Dillon Tate

The Blue Jays final homestand of the season opened with Danny Jansen coming home, but playing for the Red Sox, after the long-time Jay was traded to Boston at the deadline. We renew acquaintances with the fan favourite to talk about the warm reception he got at Rogers Centre and how strange it is to see him in a different uniform. Also, DeMarlo Hale joins us to discuss his first season back on the Jays' bench after a five-year absence, what led to the Jays' last-place finish and what he thinks needs to happen to fix things. Plus, we get to know Dillon Tate, one of a boatload of relievers the Jays have claimed on waivers over the past month, but the one with the most big-league experience and one who is not far removed from having had serious success.

Guests: Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt, infielder Ernie Clement, Baseball Canada legend Stubby Clapp

With the Jays' worst season in years winding down, Chris Bassitt joins us to talk about where the blame lies for the disappointment and to discuss being the Jays' nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award. We catch up with Ernie Clement to go over his first full season in the big leagues and what positives to take from among the negatives and chat with an honest-to-goodness Canadian baseball hero as Stubby Clapp stops by on his way through town with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Guests: New York Mets bench coach John Gibbons, Blue Jays catcher Brian Serven and outfielder Nathan Lukes

John Gibbons, who returned to Rogers Centre in uniform for the first time since being fired as Jays manager after the 2018 season, joins us to talk about his time in Toronto, his great (and not-so-great) Jays squads, playoff runs and trade deadlines. We also get Brian Serven’s perspective on Bowden Francis’ near no-hitters, both of which he caught, and chat with Nathan Lukes about finally getting an opportunity for real playing time after doing nothing but hit in Buffalo for almost three years.

Guests: Blue Jays shortstop Leo Jimenez and reliever Ryan Yarbrough; Jays’ prospects Josh Kasevich and Alan Roden

The Blue Jays are playing much more entertaining baseball lately with the influx of youth around the trade deadline, and we catch up with one of the youngsters, Leo Jimenez, who has seamlessly fit into the middle infield after the injury to Bo Bichette and the trade of Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Ryan Yarbrough, the only veteran added at the deadline, talks about going from being a thorn in the Jays’ side to wearing their uniform, and we introduce you to a pair young up-and-comers who were already in the Jays’ system when the deadline dealing began – shortstop Josh Kasevich and outfielder Alan Roden started last season in A-ball in Vancouver and are now knocking on the door of the major leagues in Buffalo.

Guests: Los Angeles Angels outfielder Kevin Pillar and infield coach Ryan Goins, Blue Jays prospect pitcher Jake Bloss

This week in Deep Left Field, we catch up with a couple of former Blue Jays who are now working together on the west coast. Kevin Pillar talks about contemplating retirement and Ryan Goins, already onto the next chapter of his baseball career, looks back on his days as Pillar’s teammate on those great Toronto teams of 2015-16. Also, we introduce you to right-hander Jake Bloss, the only piece of the Yusei Kikuchi deal who has yet to appear with the major-league team. For now.

Guests: New retiree Joey Votto, Blue Jays starter Bowden Francis, Jays infielder Will Wagner, Cincinnati Reds infielder Santiago Espinal 

This week, we share highlights of the impromptu scrum that Joey Votto did at Rogers Centre just hours after announcing his retirement from baseball. Also, we sit down with reigning American League player of the week Bowden Francis, introduce you to hot-hitting rookie Will Wagner and catch up with a beloved former Blue Jay, Santiago Espinal, who was in town with his new team.

Guests: Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Geddy Lee, lead singer and bassist of seminal Canadian rock band Rush

This week in Deep Left Field, we are joined by honest-to-goodness Canadian rock royalty. Geddy Lee is here for an in-depth conversation about baseball and the Blue Jays, two of his great loves.

We remember Jays history and discuss what went wrong this year, what he thinks of the current front office, and the renovations that forced him to move back a couple of rows at Rogers Centre. We also talk about his music, his family, his bandmates and more. Geddy’s book “My Effin’ Life” is currently available wherever finer books are sold.

Guests: Blue Jays starter Alek Manoah, outfielder Joey Loperfido

On a special Monday bonus episode of Deep Left Field, and his insight into what’s been a miserable season for Bo Bichette. We also get to know one of the new guys acquired by the Jays at the trade deadline – Joey Loperfido, one of three players who came over from Houston in the Yusei Kikuchi deal.

Blue Jays President and CEO Mark Shapiro met with the media this week – for the first time since spring training – and we break down what Shapiro had to say. He touched on the Jays’ lost season, the future of Ross Atkins, what the Jays need to do to get back to being contenders and more. We analyze what Shapiro said, what he meant, and what that means to a fan base that seems to have lost faith in the front office and the direction in which they’ve taken the team.

Guests: Blue Jays starters Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kevin Kiermaier

We move into August with the Jays having dealt away nearly one-third of their big-league roster, including Kevin Kiermaier, who gave us his last 1-on-1 interview as a Blue Jay before being traded to L.A. You’ll hear his thoughts on a season gone sideways, his impending retirement and what he’ll take from his time in Toronto. Also, Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman join us to talk about how tough it is to go through trade deadline limbo on a team that’s out of the race and where the Jays go from here.