Blue Jays Talk

Blake Murphy is joined by Ben Shulman to recap the weekend and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. starting at third base on Sunday. Afterwards, Eric Longenhagen checks in (30:00) on the progress of Spencer Horwitz, Orelvis Martinez and others at the Triple-A level. In the final hour, Chris Black comes in-studio (49:48) to discuss Guerrero Jr., Daniel Vogelbach’s hitting and how bullpen usage will change with Jordan Romano out (1:16:58).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 affiliate.

Sho Alli and Jesse Rubinoff break down the Blue Jays' 5-4 win over the Pirates to wrap up a series victory! They take your calls and texts, and get to Daniel Vogelbach's two-run double to give the Jays a fifth inning lead - should Vogelbach get more regular playing time if he's going to stay hot? They discuss Vladimir Guerrero Jr. playing at 3B for the first time since 2019 - is this something that should continue, and what's the motivation? Are they showcasing Vladdy for a potential trade, or clearing the way for an addition at 1B? Plus, they discuss the threshold for retooling vs. rebuilding, and hear from Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins who discussed the idea of extending Vladdy Jr. and Bo Bichette earlier in the day. 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 Daniele Franceschi break down the Blue Jays' 8-1 loss to the Pirates to even the series at one game apiece. They take your calls and texts, and discuss a second consecutive turbulent outing for Yusei Kikuchi - are there signs of things to worry about? They get into the offence no-showing again, as the lack of scoring in the first inning extends to a franchise-record 23 consecutive games. They discuss Bo Bichette's struggles, Cavan Biggio's place on the team, and chat about the first appearance for Ryan Burr as the bullpen continues to experience change. Plus, they throw out some trivia for the chance to win a City Connect jersey! 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 walk-off win over the Pirates, courtesy of Davis Schneider! They take your calls, and get right to the two-run bomb from The Babe in the 14th inning - how important is it for the season to get a win directly off the bat of one of the team's best stories? They get into the big plays made by the bullpen, who kept the team in the game for seven innings, the George Springer diving grab, and discuss both Danny Jansen and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. combining for a pick-off play of Oneil Cruz. Plus, they get into the absences of Jordan Romano and Daulton Varsho, and share some thoughts on the newly unveiled City Connect jerseys. 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 Keegan Matheson of MLB.com to discuss Toronto's freshly unveiled City Connect jerseys, Alek Manoah’s injury and the state of the starting rotation. Next up, Hannah Mears of SportsNet Pittsburgh shares the latest on Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates (30:36). Later on, Blue Jays front office member Marnie Starkman details the intricacies of the new City Connect jerseys (49:45). In the final segment, Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, discusses the significance of statistics from the Negro Leagues getting added to the MLB history books (01:15:00). 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.

Blake Murphy is joined by Arden Zwelling to discuss options if Alek Manoah misses extended time with the injury he suffered last night vs. Chicago. (21:15) Peter Flaherty tees up the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament (49:56) and Lance Brozdowski goes in-depth on Jordan Romano’s struggles, Bowden Francis and more (1:14:02).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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 3-1 win over the White Sox to complete the series sweep! They take your calls, and get right to the injury to Alek Manoah, who departed the game with 'right elbow discomfort' after 1.2 IP. With an MRI scheduled for tomorrow, what could this mean for the starting rotation? They discuss the efforts from the bullpen, including Trevor Richards with 3.1 IP of scoreless relief, and get into the offence putting up just three runs against a White Sox starter that walked six batters in five innings of work. 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 Kaitlyn McGrath to recap a rainy win vs. the Chicago White Sox. Jon Morosi checked in (26:12) to discuss his report that the Blue Jays have shown interest in Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon. Mike Petriello (49:56) analyzed if player age could be a factor in Toronto’s poor hitting performance this season and Spencer Horwitz (1:15:13), of the Buffalo Bisons, called in to discuss the challenges of waiting for an MLB call-up, his friendship with Davis Schneider and 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 affiliate.

Sho Alli - standing in for Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker after two rain delays - breaks down the Blue Jays' 7-2 win over the White Sox to take the series vs. the White Sox in Chicago! He takes your texts, and gets to the six innings of work from Kevin Gausman - despite having to grind through 87 pitches, how important was only allowing one run? He gets to Isiah Kiner-Falefa continuing to hit (and field) well, Davis Schneider driving in three runs atop the batting order and adding a great slide for good measure, and evaluates the return of Chad Green to the active roster. 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 Ben Nicholson-Smith to look at the vibes around the team. Afterwards, Michael Baumann (25:15) discusses his in-depth piece on Davis Schneider and Mikey Ajeto analyzes why he thinks Kevin Gausman’s stuff isn’t the same anymore. Following that, former Blue Jay John Axford (49:47) gives his thoughts on Toronto’s bullpen and in the show’s final segment, Lindsay Dunn checks in for some fun around the team (1:23:37). 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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 5-1 win over the White Sox to open the series in Chicago! They take your calls and texts, and get to the outing from Chris Bassitt - despite seven strikeouts over five innings, was he unwell, or was there something else going on? They discuss home runs from George Springer, Bo Bichette, and Davis Schneider - it was Springer's first home run since April 24th, and the first time he's ever hit seventh in his career, could this be the start of a turnaround? 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 Daniel Epstein to discuss his pieces on the splitter revolution. Afterwards, Chris Black (27:03) and Caleb Joseph (1:00:16) join the show to give their thoughts on a terrible loss to the Tigers, disappointing pitching and more. Afterwards, former Blue Jay Travis Snider (1:19:30) discusses his 3A Athletics Company prioritizing mental health in youth sport.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 affiliate.

Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 14-11 loss to the Tigers in Detroit to wrap up the series with three losses in four games. He takes your calls and texts, and gets right to the offensive explosion, including a Daulton Varsho three-run dinger to give them a late lead...only for Jordan Romano to give up a walk-off three-run bomb to Matt Vierling. How much could (or should) the team lean into a full-on fire sale, now that they are six games under .500 once more? Is Ross Atkins the one to make those moves? 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 Jesse Rubinoff break down the Blue Jays' 2-1 loss to the Tigers in Detroit. They take your calls and texts, and get to the offence struggling to scratch across more than a single run once again - could the continued problems force change in the front office and coaching staff? If the struggles continue through a 'winnable stretch', is a teardown all but guaranteed? They also chat about Justin Turner's struggles, Danny Jansen's absence from the lineup, and a seven-inning gem from José Berríos wasted at Comerica Park. 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' 6-2 loss vs. the Tigers to even up the series in Detroit. They take your calls, and get to the outing from Alek Manoah - was this a major step back after two straight good outings prior to tonight? They get into the offence sputtering again - was it all Kenta Maeda, players who sat to start the game, or simply more of the same? 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 Ben Nicholson-Smith (2:41) and Dan Shulman to recap the win (31:14) vs. the Tigers and what it was like working the game with a power outage. Also, Ben Clemens joins the show (49:48) to discuss selling options for the Blue Jays. In the final segment, NHL forward Tyler Toffoli comes by (1:12:37) to discuss his friendship with Justin Turner and 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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 9-1 win over the Tigers to open their four-game series in Detroit! They take your calls and texts, and they discuss the offence exploding once again - was bringing back the home run jacket the only move they needed to make? They discuss the home runs from both Daulton Varsho and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., small adjustments John Schneider made during the game, Kevin Kiermaier's laser-like throw to get a runner at the plate, and another terrific outing from Kevin Gausman. 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 Keegan Matheson to discuss the return of the Home Run jacket and the vibes around the Blue Jays being better. Blake takes your voicemails and texts (35:12). Travis Sawchik brings his thoughts (49:45) on Vladimir Guerrero’s recent hitting success and Cody Stavenhagen provides the latest on the Detroit Tigers (1:17:31).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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 9-2 win over the White Sox to take the series at the Rogers Centre! They take your calls, and get right to the offensive explosion by the bats in the second inning, capped by a two-run Bo Bichette bomb - is that something they can sustain, despite it coming off a struggling White Sox starter? They chat about the record needed through the next few series, starting in Detroit, and get to The Return of the Home Run Jacket™ - how important is it really to team chemistry? 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 Joe Siddall to diagnose why the Blue Jays struggled to hit Garrett Crochet last night. Afterwards, Leo Morgenstern comes by (27:02) to discuss the Phillies and his piece on why pickoff attempts by catchers are down. In the final hour, Chris Black pops in-studio (49:47) to expand on the Blue Jays’ hitting issues (1:17:11).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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 5-0 shutout loss to the White Sox to even the series at Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and get right to the offence no-showing vs. Garrett Crochet - how many times can you 'tip your cap' to the opposing team? They discuss the bats only mustering two hits against Crochet and the White Sox bullpen, the uneven outing from Yusei Kikuchi, and how the Ross Atkins availability from the weekend has not satisfied fans who want change. 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 Kaitlyn McGrath to discuss Danny Jansen’s big day, Ross Atkins and the upcoming schedule. Afterwards, James Fegan comes on to provide the state of the White Sox, who’ve won a league-low 14 games (28:03). 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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 9-3 win over the White Sox to kick off the series at Rogers Centre on Victoria Day! They take your calls and texts, and get right to Danny Jansen getting the call to bat second in the lineup - he turned in five RBI, including a two-run bomb. Does the new-look lineup need to stick? They discuss the six innings of three-run ball from José Berríos, Daulton Varsho slamming another home run, and get to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette - with their production trending upwards, does the team still need more power from them both? 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 Sportsnet's Shi Davidi to give their thoughts on Ross Atkins’ availability on Saturday, George Springer getting moved down in the order and Alek Manoah’s seven scoreless innings in Sunday's series finale against the Rays. Afterwards, Dan Szymborski of FanGraphs discusses how his ZIPS projection system views the Blue Jays, before diving deeper into Toronto's early season hitting (27:40). 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' 5-2 win over the Rays to salvage the series with a win at the Rogers Centre. He takes your calls and texts, and gets right to Alek Manoah's seven innings of one-hit ball, allowing no runs and issuing just one walk over 103 pitches. How important is it for him to have two back-to-back outings of playing well? He also showed his emotional, fiery side today - is that good or bad? Plus, Daniel Vogelbach went three-for-four including a solo home run - after seeing the first Vogelbomb of the season, how much more secure is his spot on the team? 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 Daniele Franceschi break down the Blue Jays' 5-4 loss to the Rays to lose the series at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls and texts, and they get to some of the micro-aspects of the loss, including Nate Pearson in the eighth inning, the overall bullpen usage, the decision to not pull Kevin Gausman earlier in the sixth, and yet another power outage from the bats after waking up early. Afterwards, they get to Ross Atkins' press conference from earlier in the day, and debate what the breaking point is for making decisions on the team's core. Is it the All-Star Break, is it the end of May, or is the team already there? 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' 4-3 loss to the Rays to kick off the series at the Rogers Centre. He takes your calls and texts, and gets right to the offence underperforming once again - what's behind this continued slide? With the news that Ross Atkins is going to speak for the first time this season in the morning, the question remains: what does he need to do or say to turn things around for fans? Sho also takes a look at the past, present and future of the team with the callers, as they ask where things took a potential wrong turn, and whether or not the team can still turn things around. 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 former Blue Jays pitcher Marco Estrada (34:56) to discuss his changeup and playoff memories with Toronto. Also, Tricia Whitaker provides the state of the Tampa Bay Rays and Ben Shulman weighs in on the Jays.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 affiliate.

Blake Murphy is joined by Jonah Birenbaum to recap the Blue Jays’ loss to the Orioles and what changes must happen to turn around their season. Afterwards, Blake answers your questions on the text line (37:21). 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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 3-2 walk-off loss vs. the Orioles to leave Camden Yards with a series split. They take your calls and texts, and get to Jordan Romano blowing the save - should he remain the team's closer with Yimi García dealing right now? Will Yusei Kikuchi ever get more run support? They talk about the team's offence largely no-showing once again, despite both runs coming off the bat of Bo Bichette - at what point do things need to change, and who needs to answer for it? 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 Julia Kreuz to discuss the bullpen and Yusei Kikuchi. Alex Fast joins the show (26:19) to explain the MLB’s new bat tracking data. Afterwards, Chris Leroux comes in-studio (49:50) to explain what makes Kikuchi successful and how extra days off impact pitchers.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 affiliate.

Blake Murphy is joined by Keegan Matheson to recap a huge Blue Jays win vs. the Orioles. Afterwards, Kevin Brown dives deep into why the Orioles are a force this season (29:39).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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 3-2 extra-innings win over the Orioles to open the three-game series in Baltimore! They take your calls, and get to the sickness sweeping through the team, leaving just the starting nine as the only available players - how important was this win? They discuss the outing from José Berríos, who allows just two runs over seven innings of work, and get into the bullpen as well, headlined by Yimi Garcia and Jordan Romano once again. Plus, they discuss Daulton Varsho, who launched a home run, added an RBI single in extras, and made a home-run saving catch as well. 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 Dan Shulman to recap the weekend series vs. the Twins which saw Alek Manoah pitch seven innings and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continue his hot hitting. Afterwards, Doug Fox checks in with a look at Spencer Horwitz, Eric Pardinho and others in the Blue Jays’ farm system (27:55).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 affiliate.

Sho Alli breaks down the Jays' 5-1 loss vs. the Twins to lose the series at the Rogers Centre. He takes your calls and texts, and discusses the start from Alek Manoah, who went seven strong innings but still gave up the game-losing home run to Carlos Santana. Should Santana - who hit three home runs in this series - have been intentionally walked with a base open? Is that on John Schneider? He also gets to the changes made to the batting order, including Davis Schneider being taken out of the leadoff spot, and Daniel Vogelbach continuing to play irregularly. Is it time for a minor-league callup to Orelvis Martinez or Spencer Horwitz? 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' 10-8 win over the Twins at the Rogers Centre! He takes your calls and texts, and discusses how the offence finally broke through, as they turned a 7-1 deficit into a 10-8 win. He gets to Davis Schneider looking great atop the batting order, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocking home four hits and three runs, and Bo Bichette blasting his second home run of the season. Plus, he gets to the bullpen, who held it down after Kevin Gausman only managed three innings of work, and discusses the recent play for Danny Jansen. Has he earned more playing time? 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' 3-2 loss vs. the Twins to open the three-game series at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and get to Yusei Kikuchi's eight innings of two-run ball in which he took a loss, the longest outing of his Blue Jays career. Is it time for the team to entertain calls on dealing Kikuchi given their record? They discuss the Jays having runners on second and third base with no outs, only for the top of the order to drive home no runs - is that luck or poor play? Plus, they debate the bullpen, and chat about the look of Davis Schneider at the top of the batting order. 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 Vivek Jacob to discuss his piece on Yusei Kikuchi and Cricket Night at the Rogers Centre. Afterwards, Ben Nicholson-Smith comes in-studio to recap the win vs. the Phillies and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s hitting over the last 10 games. In the final segment, Blake and Ben outline what buying and selling looks like for the Blue Jays (21:59).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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 5-3 win over the Phillies to secure a split of the mini two-game series! They take your calls and texts, and get right to the performance from Chris Bassitt, who allowed only three hits, two earned runs, and struck out six over 6.1 IP. How important was it for Bassitt to turn in this outing after a huge loss the night before? They also discuss the offence, including Davis Schneider continuing to look great, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. potentially turning it around, and George Springer's continual leadoff role. 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 Kaitlin McGrath to go through reasons for optimism and pessimism for the Blue Jays. Robert Orr provides the state of the Phillies (21:53). Afterwards, Ryland Heagy of Origami Angel pops by to talk Phillies, the76ers, his new song and 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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 10-1 loss vs. the Phillies to kick off the mini two-game series in Philadelphia. They take your calls, and discuss the offence no-showing once again - how much more of this will the team endure before major changes? They get into John Schneider's ejection, Bo Bichette continuing to scuffle at the plate, and José Berríos turning in his first bad outing, including giving up a grand slam to Bryce Harper. 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 Arden Zwelling to discuss Aaron Sanchez reportedly joining the Buffalo Bisons, Bo Bichette’s struggles and what to make of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s recent play. Following that, Andy McCullough (26:25) details what he learned while writing his book, “The Last of his Kind, Clayton Kershaw and the Burden of Greatness.” Also, Blake and Andy review the results from a recent poll at the Athletic of the top front offices in the MLB.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 affiliate.

Blake Murphy is joined by Keegan Matheson to discuss Alek Manoah’s re-debut with the Blue Jays, the bullpen’s inconsistency and signs Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s swing is improving. Afterwards, Thomas Nestico of TJ Stats on Patreon.com, provides insight into Manoah’s command, Kevin Gausman’s sinker and more (30:44)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 affiliate.