Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

Guests: Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer, left fielder Davis Schneider, reliever Tommy Nance The Blue Jays are getting set for a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers, who have the best record in MLB, and they'll go into it just half a game behind the Detroit Tigers for the best record in the American League. Bullpen questions abound, and we discuss those on this episode of Deep Left Field, and also welcome Max Scherzer to the podcast for the first time. The 41-year-old, Cooperstown-bound starting pitcher is showing glimpses of the pitcher who won three Cy Young awards every time out and we discuss his comeback from three months missed with a thumb injury. We also try to get him to compare this Jays team to the three teams he's played on that have been to the World Series, but he's not looking past his next start. Davis Schneider homered twice Wednesday night and has been red-hot in the month of August, batting .341 with an 1.123 OPS. He joins the show to talk about his turnaround and to sing the praises of his roommate, Ernie Clement, and of Joey Loperfido, who is likely to move back in with them shortly. And 34-year-old Tommy Nance, who has a 0.90 ERA out of the bullpen in 17 appearances, discusses his long and winding path to the big leagues, his flourishing in his role with the Jays and how excited he is to be part of a September pennant push for the first time in his career.

Guests: Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman, reliever Seranthony Dominguez, infielder Ty France This week in Deep Left Field, we talk to the closer. Jeff Hoffman melted down in embarrassing fashion in Los Angeles on August 10, causing panic among the fans and calls to put him in a lower-leverage role in the Jays' bullpen. Since that outing, Hoffman has appeared in four games and allowed only one hit, with nine strikeouts against 13 batters faced. He talks about his meltdown - and how he wanted to stay in that game to face Shohei Ohtani with the bases loaded - his first year as a full-time closer and the potential to be pitching in big spots in the post-season. Seranthony Dominguez has pitched in several big spots in the post-season, with a career ERA of 1.02 in 17 playoff appearances, some as a teammate of Hoffman's two years ago in Philadelphia. We play "Get To Know The New Guy" with Dominguez, acquired from Baltimore at the trade deadline, and do the same with Ty France, who was picked up from the Minnesota Twins a couple of days later.

Guests: Blue Jays top prospect Trey Yesavage, Gold Glove centrefielder Daulton Varsho, rehabbing Jays starter Alek Manoah This week in Deep Left Field, we head down to the farm and talk to right-hander Trey Yesavage, the Jays' first-round pick last July, as he prepares to make his debut with the Buffalo Bisons - the fourth team in the Jays' system for which he has suited up in this, his first season in pro ball. The 22-year-old has allowed just 45 hits and notched a whopping 134 strikeouts in 80 2/3 innings this year at Dunedin, Vancouver and New Hampshire combined. He'll start for the Bisons on August 14 and the big leagues will be the next stop. That final promotion could very well come as soon as next month. We also chat with Alek Manoah following a disappointing rehab outing in Buffalo. The former all-star and Cy Young finalist is recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery and in the first Triple-A start in his rehab assignment, lasted just an inning and two-thirds. Also, Daulton Varsho joins us to talk about watching from the sidelines as the Jays built the best record in the American League and then picking up right where he left off, power-wise, when he rejoined them.

The Blue Jays spent the weekend in Los Angeles almost getting swept by the defending World Series champions and the drama was so far through the roof that a bonus episode of Deep Left Field was required so we could all process it. From the high of a club-record 45 runs scored over three games in Colorado to just two runs combined in the first two games at Dodger Stadium and just two more through the first seven innings of the series finale, questions were starting to pop up about the Jays, despite them having the American League's best record. A Sunday loss would leave them with only five wins in their last 14 games - three of them against the worst team in the game. Was the air starting to come out of the balloon? Was the Jays' record a mirage? Can we actually not have nice things in Toronto? Home runs by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Addison Barger gave the Jays a late lead, but closer Jeff Hoffman gave it right back with a bases loaded walk, then walked three more in the ninth after Ernie Clement went deep to give the Jays yet another lead. Mason Fluharty, the youngest pitcher on the staff, had to bail Hoffman out, and did he ever. We go through all of it for you here in Deep Left Field - what happened, what it means, and who does what going forward as the Jays move into the final 43 games of the season.

Guests: Blue Jays rehabbing pitcher Shane Bieber, Buffalo Bisons catcher Brandon Valenzuela Two of the Blue Jays' trade deadline acquisitions have yet to make their debuts with the big club, and you'll meet them both this week in Deep Left Field! Shane Bieber spoke after his first rehab start in Buffalo, in which he threw five innings against the Syracuse Mets, allowing two runs on five hits with a walk and six strikeouts. You'll hear his comments about how he felt, the whirlwind that sent him from Cleveland to Toronto to Buffalo in three days and what he thought of becoming a Blue Jay. Brandon Valenzuela was acquired in a head-shaking trade with the San Diego Padres, straight up for Will Wagner. The 24-year-old catcher made his organizational debut, catching Bieber in that rehab game, and we caught up with him afterward. The Mexican native discussed meeting Alejandro Kirk, catching Bieber - he said he's never seen anything like it - and the unexpected trade that put him on the road to a potential big-league debut in Toronto. You'll also hear all about the overwhelming, record-setting series sweep in Colorado as well as a short treatise on run differential, since the Jays added 39 runs to it this week!

The trade deadline has passed and the Blue Jays made a deal right up against the clock, picking up big-armed back-end reliever Louis Varland from the Minnesota Twins to help bolster their bullpen, at the cost of prospect pitcher Kendry Morales and young, promising outfielder Alan Roden. They also got Ty France in that trade, for some reason. I'm joined by my Toronto Star colleague Gregor Chisholm to go over the Jays' moves at the deadline, including the surprise acquisition of two-time all-star and perennial (when healthy) Cy Young candidate Shane Bieber as well as reliever Seranthony Dominguez and the trade of Will Wagner to San Diego for minor-league catching depth. As well, we'll go over all the moves made by the Jays' rivals and see how they stack up as August begins with Toronto in first place overall in the American League and holding a 3 ½ game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East. All that, plus your comments and questions as well!

Guest: Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt They added to their bullpen Tuesday by acquiring Seranthony Dominguez from Baltimore, but a dozen more trades were made across the majors on Wednesday and the Jays weren't involved. Big Toronto targets Jhoan Duran and Ryan Helsley, a couple of huge relief arms, and slugging third baseman Eugenio Suarez all came off the board, going to Philadelphia, the New York Mets and Seattle, respectively. Who's left for the Jays to pick up on the last day? We go over that list for you, as well as examine the trades that were made to see if the Jays could have made more compelling offers. Also, Jays' starter Chris Bassitt joins us to talk about the keys to the team's success so far this season and his influence on how the players are handled.

Guest: Blue Jays Associate Manager DeMarlo Hale The Blue Jays got swept in their Tuesday doubleheader in Baltimore and they've lost four in a row, but they've still got the best record in the American League and a four-game lead in the AL East. There is, quite literally, no need to panic. Between games of the double-dip, they made their first deal of Trade Deadline Week, acquiring big-armed reliever Seranthony Dominguez from the Orioles - he suited up for the O's in the opener and pitched for the Jays in the nightcap - but they're going to need to do some dealing over the next couple of days to plug the holes that are starting to pop open. The ugly 16-4 loss in Tuesday's first game got the Jays to the two-thirds mark of the season, and when that happens, we go to associate manager DeMarlo Hale for a check-in, as we do after every third of every season. He offers his insight as to what's going on with a team that, when we spoke before Sunday's game in Detroit, had won an astonishing 21 of 26 games. Now it's 21 of 30.

Guest: Blue Jays outfielder Joey Loperfido With the Blue Jays holding first place overall in Major League Baseball and the trade deadline coming up on July 31, Deep Left Field is going daily for Trade Deadline Week! Today, we're joined by Jays outfielder Joey Loperfido, who was traded at last year's deadline in the Yusei Kikuchi deal, coming to Toronto along with Will Wagner and Jake Bloss, to discuss the difference between last year and this year. From his perspective, there doesn't seem to be much. We also look at the Jays loss in Baltimore on Monday, how George Springer's injury might affect the Jays' deadline strategy, Emmanuel Clase coming off the board because of a gambling investigation and more!

Guest: Toronto Blue Jays Manager John Schneider The Blue Jays continued to extend their lead in the AL East this weekend by taking three of four from the Detroit Tigers, in Detroit. With the best record in Major League Baseball and the MLB trade deadline coming July 31, Deep Left Field is going to have updates every day throughout. We'll start this Trade Deadline Week with our conversation with Jays skipper John Schneider.

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.

Guests: Former Blue Jays/current San Diego Padres coach Tim Leiper, major-league umpire Steven Jaschinski, Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Board Chair Jeremy Diamond This week in Deep Left Field is all about the true north strong and free! Tim Leiper joins us to reminisce about his Jays days and talk about Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees Jose Bautista and Greg Hamilton. Leiper, a southern California native who now makes his home in Huntsville, Ont., was coaching first base when Bautista flipped his bat in 2015 and has coached third base for Canada's senior men's national team for more than two decades. Jaschinski made his major-league debut as an umpire on May 16 when the Jays hosted Detroit and the Burlington, Ont. native tells us how he got to the bigs all the way from Aldershot School. And with the CBHOF induction weekend coming up, Jeremy Diamond checks in to tell us what to expect in St. Marys.

Guests: Blue Jays centerfielder Daulton Varsho, third baseman Addison Barger, Buffalo Bisons manager Casey Candaele This week, we talk to two of the players most consequential to the Jays' recent turnaround that has seen them win eight out of 12 games going into their May 22 series finale against the San Diego Padres. Daulton Varsho leads the team with seven home runs despite only having been active since the end of April. He joins us to talk about his power prowess, his ongoing recovery from shoulder surgery and his advice to his teammates who had been struggling offensively when he arrived. Addison Barger got a chance to play every day when Andres Gimenez got hurt and been one of the Jays' best hitters since then. He talks about his time on the shuttle back and forth from Buffalo, his power potential and his record-setting day in right field back in April. Also, we get the word on the Jays' to minor-league affiliate and the players down there who are on the verge of helping the big club from Bisons skipper Casey Candaele.

Guests: Blue Jays reliever Mason Fluharty, pitching coach Pete Walker, Toronto Star baseball columnist Gregor Chisholm This week in Deep Left Field, we introduce you to rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty, who came within six outs of throwing a "perfect game" out of the bullpen. As the Jays hit the one-quarter mark of the season, we catch up with pitching coach Pete Walker for his thoughts on how the pitching has held up so far, with a focus on the starting rotation, and Gregor Chisholm and I share our thoughts about the controversial MLB decision to remove all deceased players - including and especially Pete Rose - from baseball's Permanently Ineligible list.

Guests: Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman, Director of Position Player Development Eric Duncan, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt The Jays might be in freefall, but we've put together a tremendous show for you regardless! Kevin Gausman joins us to talk about the aftermath of his 53-pitch inning in New York, his dominant outing against Cleveland and his family's off-day adventures in Toronto. We get to know Eric Duncan, who is in charge of position player development throughout the Jays' farm system and catch up with Cleveland skipper Stephen Vogt about his former teammates and current Jays Ernie Clement and Daulton Varsho.

Guests: Blue Jays home run leader Anthony Santander, reliever Brendon Little, 1B/OF coach Mark Budzinski The Blue Jays miserable April is over and it ended with a massive comeback win against the Boston Red Sox. No one might be happier to turn the page to May than Anthony Santander, who is hitting just .175 as the calendar flips. The switch-hitter joins us for a frank and open discussion about his early-season struggles and how he and the team hope to turn things around. After the interview, Santander hit a game-tying three-run homer to help the Jays to victory on April 30. We also speak to Mark Budzinski, who knows Santander better than anyone, having managed him in the minor leagues, and we also get insight into the incredible circus catch made by Daulton Varsho – on one knee and with his back to the plate – in Varsho's first game back. Plus, get to know the Jays' top left-handed reliever, Brendon Little!