Guests: Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman, former Jays slugger Edwin Encarnacion, New York Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay The Blue Jays came out of the all-star break and picked up right where they left off, sweeping the San Francisco Giants then taking two of three from the Yankees as part of a 5-1 homestand. This week in Deep Left Field, we sit down with Kevin Gausman, who threw seven brilliant innings in Monday night's win over the Yankees, to discuss the first-place Jays, who moved into a tie with the Houston Astros for the best record in the American League with their win on Wednesday. That Wednesday win was the seventh straight sellout at Rogers Centre, and Jays fans are becoming a big part of the story. Edwin Encarnacion remembers what it was like at the dome when the Jays were rolling in 2015 and 2016, and he joins us to compare those teams and those atmospheres to this one. Also, Yankees television broadcaster Michael Kay created a firestorm with his comments about the Jays not being a first-place team and not even playing that well on his radio show a few weeks ago. We gave him a chance to clarify, apologize or double down - join us to see which route he chose.

Guests: Paul Sun-Hyung Lee of Kim's Convenience and The Mandalorian, Second City Veteran/TV Writer Pat Smith This week in Deep Left FIeld, we get you set for the unofficial second half of the baseball season which, for the first time in over three decades, will begin with the Blue Jays in first place. We present a round table (maybe triangle) with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Pat Smith to discuss the feelings around this first-half surge, what to hope for - and what to actually expect - at the trade deadline, how much credit to give to Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins, the very unVladdylike first half of the season of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and much more!

Guest: Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes The Blue Jays have swept their way into first place by beating the New York Yankees four straight – the first time that has ever happened in Toronto. The Jays scored 36 runs over the four-game sweep, coming from behind twice and rebounding from blowing an eight-run lead once, in four intense games in an incredible atmosphere at Rogers Centre. Since May 27, the Jays are 23-10 – tied with the Houston Astros for the best record in the major leagues over that span – and they have turned an eight-game deficit in the division into a one-game lead. It's the first time they've been in first place outside the first three weeks of a season since 2016. Nathan Lukes put the Jays on top to stay in Thursday's finale with a two-run double that ended an epic 14-pitch at-bat. The Jays' leadoff man - for that game, anyway - joins us to talk about that big hit and more!

Guests: Blue Jays reliever Chad Green, outfielders Davis Schneider and Myles Straw This week in Deep Left Field, we talk to three of your first-place Toronto Blue Jays. Davis Schneider, who homered twice in Wednesday's win and is hitting .400 in the Yankees' series through the first three games, talks about the run he's been on, the run the team has been on for the past six weeks and how they're doing it in the absence of some big pieces. We catch up with Myles Straw to talk about his impact in the field and on the bases, especially with Daulton Varsho on the shelf, and to discuss the fresh start he's gotten in Toronto. And Chad Green discusses his roller-coaster season so far, his message to Mason Fluharty upon the rookie getting optioned to Buffalo and the Jays' bullpen through the first half of the season.

Guests: Blue Jays pitcher Eric Lauer, former Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister This week in Deep Left Field, we present two in-depth, long form, incredible conversations. First, we get to know left-hander Eric Lauer, who emerged seemingly out of nowhere to be arguably the Jays' best pitcher over the past couple of months, and inarguably the one they would be lost without at this point in the season. Then, we get a fresh perspective on the biggest Blue Jays moment of the 21st century. Current Arizona Diamondbacks bench coach Jeff Banister was managing the Texas Rangers when Jose Bautista hit his iconic BatFlip home run. He looks back on that moment - and shares the incredible story that led to him getting to the major leagues - and tries to convince us that Rougned Odor is a good guy.

Guests: Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Randal Grichuk, Blue Jays pitcher Braydon Fisher This week in Deep Left Field, we catch up with an old pal Randal Grichuk, who played four seasons for the Jays, is back in Toronto for the first time since being traded to the Colorado Rockies in spring training of 2022. We look back at his time here, at the Jays' great 2021 team, Grichuk helping to break in a 20-year-old Vladimir Guerrero Jr and, of course, we get the story on his nickname, Handsome Randal. Then we introduce you to rookie Braydon Fisher, who has yet to allow a run in 14 appearances out of the Jays' bullpen this season. Also, a tribute to longtime Jays team doctor Ron Taylor, who passed away this week at the age of 87.

Guests: Phillies closer Jordan Romano, Blue Jays bench coach Don Mattingly and his son, Phillies general manager Preston Mattingly The Blue Jays chose not to tender a contract to homegrown closer Jordan Romano, who is third on their all-time saves list, this winter, and he was snapped up by Philadelphia pretty quickly. He came back to Toronto and got walked off by old buddy Alejandro Kirk. We talked to Romano after that game. And with fathers' day weekend upon us, we talk to father-son Mattinglys - Blue Jays bench coach Don and his son Preston, who grew up to run the Phillies.

DeMarlo Hale, Athletics/Baseball Canada outfielder Denzel Clarke This week in Deep Left Field, we sit down with DeMarlo Hale for his thoughts on the Blue Jays season so far. Hale thinks a season is best looked over after each third, so we look back at the first third and forward to what he thinks the team can accomplish over the next couple of months. We also introduce you to Denzel Clarke, a Pickering native who had his coming out party at Rogers Centre on the weekend. While the Jays were sweeping his A's in four straight games, Clarke belted his first big-league home run, had his first career multi-hit game and dazzled on defence, including going up and over the center field wall to take a home run away from Alejandro Kirk.