Blue Jays Talk

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 8-2 win over the Phillies at Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and get right to the beginning of the John Schneider era for the Blue Jays. They discuss the 'hit and run' plays, and how players might respond to the managerial change within the clubhouse. They also get to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. still not taking walks - despite a solo home run - and discuss the role of Pete Walker and pitching development over the last few years. 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 At The Letters' Ben Nicholson-Smith to share his reaction to the firing of Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo and discuss what he brought to the clubhouse in the last three years, John Schneider's fit as the interim manager, and if there's a chance for him stay in the role long-term (01:45). MLB.com's Keegan Matheson weighs in on the timing of the firing and how the players could respond to a new voice at the helm (22:14). Drew Fairservice, co-host of the "Spin Rate" podcast, shares his thoughts on how Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro view the core and if there was an area in Montoyo's philosophy that needed a change (35:12). Sportsnet.ca's Shi Davidi jumps on to discuss how Toronto's front office will evaluate itself after releasing their chosen manager three years prior and if Schneider was already poised to make the jump to the big chair (50:17). Afterward, we jump into today's press conferences and hear from GM Ross Atkins (01:16:27) and interim manager John Schneider (01:35:56). Spor

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays 4-3 win over the Phillies at Rogers Centre. They take your calls and texts, and discuss the six innings of work from José Berríos, who matched a career-high 13 strikeouts. They get to the red-hot play of Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and his four hits, and discuss Jordan Romano closing things out in the ninth. Plus, a conversation on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his recent struggles at the plate. 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 Producer Chris Black for another round of "Explain It Black" as the guys share their thoughts on how the Jays can progress out of this losing stretch, opponents being comfortable in throwing inside against Toronto, and Gabriel Moreno's first 18 games in the Majors (04:12). Then, the guys chat about Vladdy Jr. performing under expectations, how he's still years away from reaching his peak, where the Jays stand mid-summer in comparison to the team's performance in 2015 and the difficulties of evaluating mangers (25:00). Afterward, Blake is joined by Philadelphia Inquirer's Alex Coffey to discuss J.T. Realmuto's comments on missing games in Toronto, the change in managers from Joe Girardi to Rob Thomson, and the strategy for the Phillies' bullpen day to start the two-game series (50:47). To wrap up, Blake answers your texts and tweets and previews the short series ahead, the shift in schedule for Toronto's starting rotation and the return of Danny Jansen (01:12:46).  The views

Blake Murphy is joined by the co-host of "At The Letters" Arden Zwelling to share what concerns him most from the Jays' recent losing skid, the team's aggressive approach in their at-bats, the spike in groundballs, and if the Major League schedule is catching up to Gabriel Moreno (02:30). Afterward, the guys chat about when Kevin Gausman will start next, if Yusei Kikuchi's injury has shifted their attention in the trade market, and if they would consider trading away Alejandro Kirk (32:39). MLB.com's Sarah Langs weighs in on some of the players heading to the 2022 midsummer classic and the demand for an extra bullpen arm across the league (52:56). Then, The FAN Morning Show's JD Bunkis and Blake run through another concern index including which has struggled the most: the bullpen or starting rotation, the bats quieting down, and where they stand on Vladdy Jr. and Bo Bichette (01:08:40). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the positi

Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 6-5 loss to the Mariners, who complete the series sweep in Seattle. He takes your calls and texts, and discusses the idea that Max Castillo needs to stay in the starting rotation ahead of guys like Yusei Kikuchi or Casey Lawrence. He gets into the 'blown glove' play at first base, how someone should have called off Gabriel Moreno on the dropped ball in the in-field, and the need for the bullpen to acquire an arm that can throw some smoke. Plus, a conversation on how a change might be needed somewhere in this organization, and how the manager usually is the first to take the blame. 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' 2-1 loss to the Mariners out in Seattle. He takes your texts, and discusses the lack of run support once again, as the bats go cold during a terrific pitching performance from Alek Manoah that saw him work into the eighth inning. He gets into the top of the fifth inning, one that saw Robbie Ray escape a bases loaded no out jam completely unscathed, and discusses a potential trade for one of the big bats in the middle of the order. Plus, a conversation on whether or not the team needs a serious veteran voice in the clubhouse, and if Bo Bichette can eventually become that guy. 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 loss to the Mariners in 11 innings out in Seattle. He takes your texts, discusses the runners with scoring position issue rearing its ugly head at the worst possible time, and highlighting some of the awful baserunning that has cropped up as of late. He gets into the start from Ross Stripling, the quality work from (most of) the bullpen, and how additions to the arm barn could allow for more flexibility. Sho also gets to some less-heralded bullpen additions around MLB that could be made at the trade deadline, and once again discusses how much culpability Charlie Montoyo has after losses like this. 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 opens the show recapping the series opener between the Jays and Mariners, who's next to get called up from Buffalo to fill Yusei Kikuchi's spot and if Kevin Gausman will miss another start, and how the team sits in the early race for the AL wild card. American poet Hanif Abdurraqib joins the show to chat about his Ken Griffey Jr collection, his fascination with sneakers, and if there's an MLB player that can help market the game more (23:49). Blue Jays TV play-by-play voice Dan Shulman gives his perspective on the mood in the clubhouse as the losses mount up, if there are any concerns with George Springer missing time, if the pitching struggles are bleeding into the offensive struggles, and which areas of the team should the front office focus on to get better (50:03). Spin Rate podcast's Drew Fairservice weighs in on Cavan Biggio's role on the roster and how he's performed this season, if Shohei Ohtani could fit on the team and what kind of package would the Jays include for a trade, which pitch

Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 8-3 loss to the Mariners to begin the four-game series in Seattle. He takes your texts, and gets straight to the decision to have Anthony Banda be the opener for Casey Lawrence - why not Max Castillo? He discusses the three innings of relief work from Castillo, and how despite being saved for an emergency start on Sunday (if Kevin Gausman can't go after all), the whole weekend of relief work has now been tossed into disarray. Plus, a discussion on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. powering down after scoring Bo Bichette with the RBI single in the third inning - should he have run it out? 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.

Baseball Prospectus' Mikey Ajeto joins Blake Murphy to chat about how Robbie Ray turned around his season following a rough start, his reliance on the sinker and slider, the optimism surrounding the Mariners' rotation, and why Logan Gilbert may be close to a breakout (04:54). Co-host of Intentional Talk and AppleTV+ announcer Stephen Nelson stops by to discuss his experience calling the weekly games on Friday night, Shohei Ohtani's greatness, and his standouts from the Jays this year (28:39). Then, The Athletic's Keith Law looks at his Jays prospect rankings at the midway point, what he makes of Spencer Horwitz, and which areas of the prospect pool would be included in a future trade (49:33). Sportsnet.ca's Shi Davidi discusses where he ranks the road trip to Seattle to cover the Jays games, how the team will approach their rotation without Kevin Gausman, how to handle Yusei Kikuchi's struggles, and when Toronto could start addressing the pitching staff ahead of the trade deadline (01:13:33). The views and op

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 2-1 win over the Athletics to wrap up the series in Oakland. They take your calls, and they discuss six strong innings from José Berríos to (somewhat) stabilize the starting rotation. They get to the great outings from Adam Cimber and Jordan Romano, and how the Jays' closer had the velocity up in Oakland to wrap things up. Plus, a conversation on trade value for prospects and when you should trade them (or not). 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' 5-3 loss to the Athletics as the losing streak ties a season-high. He takes your texts and gets to the main source of consternation: Yusei Kikuchi going less than three innings, walking five batters and hitting two more. Sho discusses how nothing can be off the table at this point, from having an opener, to benching him, or even releasing him outright. Plus, a discussion on the 'movie' that is the 2022 season, and whether or not there's still time to turn things around for the third act. 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 Chris Black and Joe Siddall for another edition of "Explain It Black" as they touch on Alek Manoah's first bad start of the season to begin Toronto's West Coast trip, if a drop in Manoah's velocity is a concern, catchers framing pitches, and if Yusei Kikuchi should continue to throw cutters within his pitching arsenal (01:53). Next, FanGraphs' Dan Szymborski discusses the race in the AL East being dominated by the Yankees, how Hyun-jin Ryu's injury affects the Jays' playoff projections, and how he would handle carrying three catchers at a time (27:52). Then, Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith stops by to give out grades for the team at the halfway point of the season, look back at Alejandro Kirk's emergence, and discuss Jose Berrios inconsistency (50:14). Finally, the guys share their wish lists for the second half, who could be the biggest swing piece for the rest of the season and the top targets the team should eye ahead of the trade deadline (01:13:34). The views and opinions expres

Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 5-1 loss to the Athletics in Oakland. He takes your texts, and gets to the listless performance from the offence, one that saw only four hits over eight innings off opposing starter Cole Irvin. He discusses the lack of quality at-bats from the Jays offence, and how the velocity on Alek Manoah's fastball just wasn't there to kick off the series in Oakland. Plus, a discussion on if the Jays got 'baseballed', and Sho asks if we can chalk this up to a long stretch of games without time off. 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 The Athletic's Kaitlyn McGrath to chat about the most disappointing aspect of the Blue Jays' weekend series against the Rays, the importance of bolstering their pitching staff after Kevin Gausman suffered an ankle contusion, and who the team can look to target in the trade market (04:28). The Athletic's Melissa Lockard stops by to discuss what makes Frankie Montas a special pitcher for Oakland, how the return packages for Matt Chapman are performing, and previews what to look for from A's starter Cole Irvin in their series opener (27:11). Afterward, Ben Shulman of the "Locked on Jays" podcast recaps the rare doubleheader at Rogers Centre, takeaways from Casey Lawrence's relief appearance after Gausman left the game, and the state of the AL East (50:02). To wrap up the show, Blake answers your texts about Yusei Kikuchi, Danny Jansen, and the pitching woes (01:14:53).  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 7-3 loss to the Rays at Rogers Centre. They take your calls and texts, get to the performance of the bats against guys like Shane Baz, how there were a number of missed bases loaded opportunities, and discuss how the offence has now underperformed for three straight games. They get into the approach from the entire lineup, how trades must be on the horizon soon, and how the bullpen still requires a boost. Plus, a discussion on where to draw the line when criticizing Charlie Montoyo. 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' 11-5 loss to the Rays, as Tampa sweeps the doubleheader at Rogers Centre. He takes your calls and texts, and discusses the idea of flipping the starts of Thomas Hatch and Kevin Gausman, and why the Jays may have been reticent to do that in the first place. He highlights some potential names to watch when the team goes shopping for bullpen help, gets into Hatch's start (12 hits and 10 earned runs), and discusses Bradley Zimmer who launched a home run for the first time at Rogers Centre. 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' 6-2 loss to the Rays at Rogers Centre. He takes your texts on an afternoon where starter Kevin Gausman takes a comebacker to his ankle, and was forced to depart the game after just two innings of work. Does this make the starting rotation the most pressing area of need come the trade deadline? Sho outlines a few pitchers who could be potentially available on the market, including someone from South Beach, Florida. Plus, a conversation on Casey Lawrence who let up six earned runs, but also saved the bullpen from being taxed too much ahead of the second game of the doubleheader. 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' 9-2 win over the Rays at Rogers Centre on Canada Day! He takes your calls and texts, and discusses the start from José Berríos, who allowed just two runs over five innings of work. He discusses position players pitching (thanks to the Rays' Brett Phillips), Lourdes Gurriel Jr.'s three-hit day including a no-doubt bomb in the seventh inning, and the debut of Sergio Romo in a Blue Jays uniform. Plus, a quick discussion on the Russell Martin pre-game ceremony, as the former catcher was honoured by the team before first pitch. 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.