Jays Talk Plus: A Swing and A Missed Opportunity

Manoah Magic Bottled, Blue Jays Blanked at Home: Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 4-0 loss to the Yankees at Rogers Centre. He takes your calls and texts, and gets into whether or not the 'Red Jersey Curse' is real (spoiler: it is). He gets into the outing by Alek Manoah, discusses if he struggled (in part) due to not using the PitchCom device, and whether or not he should consider adopting it going forward with the pitch clock eventually on its way to the majors. Plus, a chat on the game's umpiring and the prospects of robot strike zones/umpires at large. 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. by Blue Jays Talk

28 min listen

An Inconsistent Night for Berríos: Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 8-7 loss to the White Sox in Chicago. He takes your calls and texts, and breaks down the start from José Berríos, who gave up three home runs over four innings of work. Was Berríos struggling with his command tonight? Sho gets into the issues and takes a look at the starting rotation overall. Plus, some surprising stats on Raimel Tapia who clobbered a two-run bomb, and more on the umpiring issue that seems to be felt across Major League Baseball. 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. by Blue Jays Talk

23 min listen

Jays Talk Plus: Midway Check-In + Second Half Wish List: 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 by Blue Jays Talk

99 min listen

Sweep Put on Hold, Rally Falls Short in Extras: Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-5 loss to the Red Sox in extras. They take your calls, and get to the beleaguered bullpen catching some heat yet again (especially David Phelps, after tonight). They also get to the 'brawl' after Nick Pivetta plunked Alejandro Kirk, and the performance from Alek Manoah on the mound. Plus, they look ahead to Yusei Kikuchi taking the hill vs. the Rays on Thursday. 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. by Blue Jays Talk

16 min listen

A Bo Doubt Grand Slam in Chicago: Blake Murphy breaks down the Blue Jays' 9-5 win over the White Sox to salvage the series in Chicago. He takes your calls and texts, and gets to another great start from Ross Stripling through six innings. He discusses the Bo Bichette grand slam, home runs from Alejandro Kirk and Teoscar Hernandez, and the bullpen being taxed once again - where's the swing and miss stuff? Plus, potential trade options for the bullpen (and team at-large) at the deadline. 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. by Blue Jays Talk

31 min listen

Irvin Shuts Down Jays Offence in Oakland: 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. by Blue Jays Talk

24 min listen

Captain Kirk Has a Four-Hit Night in Milwaukee: Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 9-4 win over the Brewers in Milwaukee. They take your texts, and get to the outstanding performance of Alejandro Kirk, who had four hits including a two-run bomb as the exclamation point (and hope he avoided serious injury after a scare in the seventh inning). They also discuss another terrific start from Alek Manoah, his competitive fire coming through once again, and the bullpen performances from Adam Cimber and Matt Gage. Plus, a discussion on Cavan Biggio heating up, and which starting pitcher they'd like the Jays to pursue at the deadline. 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. by Blue Jays Talk

23 min listen

Yusei Kikuchi Rebounds on the Mound: Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 4-1 win over the Rays at Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and get to the six-inning, eight-strikeout performance from Yusei Kikuchi - can we be cautiously optimistic going forward? They discuss the bullpen showing up, including a bounce back outing from David Phelps, and Adam Cimber closing things out in the ninth. Plus, they get to more stellar defensive plays from Matt Chapman and how that has become so routine that it's expected. 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. by Blue Jays Talk

30 min listen

Jays Talk Plus: More Arms Are Needed: Blake Murphy is joined by Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca to recap the weekend Yankees-Blue Jays series, the state of the AL East, Toronto's starting pitching rotation, Yusei Kikuchi's lack of fastball execution, and potential targets for the front office to add to their pitching staff including A's pitcher Frankie Montas (01:41). Afterward, the guys take a deep dive on if the red jerseys are cursed, if the Jays should bring back the black jerseys worn from 2004-11, and the chances for the team to stock up on fielders before the trade deadline (25:30). Yahoo! Sports' Chris Cwik looks at what has surprised him about the Yankees' dominance this year, his confidence level on the Jays offence, why White Sox fans are pushing to fire manager Tony La Russa, and what has gone wrong with their season (51:17). To wrap up, Blake previews the Blue Jays series against the White Sox, the scouting report on Chicago's starting pitcher Lance Lynn, and Jose Berr by Blue Jays Talk

99 min listen

Completing the Comeback on Father's Day: Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 10-9 comeback win over the Yankees at Rogers Centre on Father's Day! They take your calls, and get into the importance of this series as a measuring stick vs. the Yankees within the division and the American League at large. They break down the start from Yusei Kikuchi and discuss if he's being too stubborn when it comes to throwing his fastball. Plus, a conversation on the bullpen at large and the decision to go from Yimi Garcia to Tim Mayza. 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. by Blue Jays Talk

27 min listen

How Do You Solve the Kikuchi Conundrum?: Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 5-4 loss to the Brewers in Milwaukee. They take your texts, and get right to another short outing for Yusei Kikuchi - what do you do at this point? They debate if he can be trusted with even one more start, and throw around some names in the minors that could take his spot. They also discuss the outing from Max Castillo, who notched seven strikeouts over four innings of work in relief - could Castillo take Kikuchi's spot in the rotation for a few turns through the 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. by Blue Jays Talk

38 min listen

Battening Down the Hatches at Rogers Centre: 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. by Blue Jays Talk

25 min listen

A Fiery Manoah Grabs Seven More Punchies: Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 4-1 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park. They take your calls and texts, and get to the fiery Alek Manoah and his seven 'punchies' over six innings of work. They discuss his choice of words for the Red Sox batters at the end of the sixth inning, and John Schneider calming him down once his outing was over. Plus, a chat on the top hitters only grabbing a handful of hits, the bullpen needing just one more addition to really solidify things, and whether or not Ross Stripling's nickname is a good one. 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. by Blue Jays Talk

39 min listen

Jays Talk Plus: Gausman's Stellar Outing + The Matt Gage Story: Chris Black joins Blake Murphy for another edition of "Explain It Black" as they touch on Kevin Gausman's bounce-back outing against the Red Sox, the use of the shift especially behind Gausman, if the team should consider moving Yusei Kikuchi to the bullpen, and how Ross Stripling can be effective on the mound (01:52). Then, Blake discusses Vlad Jr. choosing to skip the home run derby, criticisms against Charlie Montoyo, and which Jay would likely be part of a future trade deal (29:28). The Athletic's Britt Ghiroli jumps on to chat about Jays' reliever Matt Gage's journey from the minors to the Majors, why Matt chose to sign with Toronto, and the history behind the AL East being a tough division to play in (51:07). Finally, The Athletic Toronto's Kaitlyn McGrath stops by to discuss Kikuchi's pitching woes, another setback for Nate Pearson, and some early trade targets for Toronto (01:10:12). The views and opinions expres by Blue Jays Talk

98 min listen

Jays Talk Plus: Trade Partners + Doubleheader Call Up?: Blake Murphy is joined by Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling to chat about Ross Stripling's outing against the Red Sox, pitchers facing a lineup for the third time, the dependence on the bullpen, who will pitch Saturday's double-header, and his expectations for Sergio Romo (03:10). Afterwards, the guys look into the Kansas City Royals potentially becoming trade partners with the Jays (30:35). Later on, Future Blue Jays' Doug Fox discusses the potential bullpen reinforcements in the minors including Yosver Zulueta, who he sees pitching the second game of their doubleheader against Tampa Bay, and outlines his list of breakout hitters in Toronto's organization (50:15). Finally, co-founder of Strata Athletics and former Raptors and 905 coach, Brittni Donaldson stops by to chat about the use of analytics in baseball compared to basketball, and shares Strata Athletics' mission of aiding youth sports and player's development (01:10:02). The vi by Blue Jays Talk

98 min listen

Replacement Royals Freeze Jays Bats: Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 3-1 loss to the Royals at Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and dissect the offensive performance from the top five Jays hitters against a Royals pitcher who has spent the majority of his time pitching in Double A. They get to the quality of the ABs, and discuss what they like and dislike about the new batting order. Plus, they break down what they saw from Kevin Gausman, the approach at the plate from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and hear the explanation from John Schneider on why Anthony Banda was used in high leverage. 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. by Blue Jays Talk

25 min listen

Jays Talk Plus: Explain It Black with Joe Siddall + Artist Hour: Blake Murphy is joined by Sportsnet producer Chris Black and analyst Joe Siddall for another edition of 'Explain It Black' to touch on if Jose Berrios' struggles is a pitch setup or fastball location problem, what has gone wrong in Kevin Gausman's starts, and if Toronto is relying too heavily on the shift (01:52). White Sox radio analyst Darrin Jackson looks back at his playing days with the Jays and both Chicago ball clubs, before discussing if the Sox will find a way to break through following a down start to their campaign, how the team has handled their injuries, and what makes Dylan Cease a potential Cy Young candidate (27:02). Next hour, Chicago rapper Matt Muse jumps on to chat his White Sox fandom, what Tim Anderson means to him and the city, and where's his confidence level at for the baseball club to turn their season around (50:47). Painter and digital creator Kory Parkin stops by to chat about his recent desig by Blue Jays Talk

99 min listen

Cruising to a Big Win on Canada Day: 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. by Blue Jays Talk

33 min listen

What Is Going On With the Strike Zone?: Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 7-6 loss in extras at the hands of the White Sox in Chicago. He takes your calls and texts, and gets right into the strike zone squeezing almost every Blue Jays batter, including Bo Bichette, Matt Chapman, and (especially) Santiago Espinal. He discusses the encouraging start from Kevin Gausman despite the loss, how Jordan Romano got beat up at the worst possible time, and if there are any true concerns with the star closer. Plus, a discussion on the backend of the starting rotation, the development of pitchers across the organization, and how Alejandro Kirk continues to deserve votes as a 2022 MLB All-Star. 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. by Blue Jays Talk

30 min listen

Chapman Gets a Win in Coliseum Return: 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. by Blue Jays Talk

33 min listen

A Series Split at the Trop: Blake Murphy breaks down the Blue Jays' 3-2 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field. He takes your calls and texts, gets to the performance of Yusei Kikuchi, and also takes a look back at the trade deadline. He's also joined by Jays Talk regular Sho Alli, and the pair chat about the incoming additions of Zach Pop and Anthony Bass, the post-All-Star Break play of Kikuchi as a whole (despite getting squeezed today), and whether or not Bo Bichette should be moved down further in the batting order. Plus, we hear post-game comments from John Schneider and Teoscar Hernandez. 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. by Blue Jays Talk

49 min listen

Gausman Carves the Red Sox for Ten Strikeouts: Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 7-2 win over the Red Sox at Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and get to the outstanding performance from Kevin Gausman, who comes in as the 'stopper' as he grabs 10 strikeouts vs. the Red Sox. They discuss Gausman locating his pitches extremely well, his play against the Red Sox in 2022, and whether or not the larger glove helped him at all. Plus, they get into Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s team-leading 18th home run of the season, and have a chat on the bullpen - including Max Castillo and maybe...Yusei Kikuchi? 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. by Blue Jays Talk

38 min listen

Berríos Gets Hit Hard, Road Trip Goes Awry: Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 10-3 loss to the Brewers. They take your calls and texts, and discuss another consecutive disappointing start from José Berríos, who only managed 2.2 IP vs. in Milwaukee. Are these last two starts a sign of something more worrying? They get into the play of Max Castillo and Matt Gage as of late, take a look at the upcoming turn through the starting rotation, and discuss some of the potential starting options available on the trade market. Plus, a discussion on the All-Star play from Alejandro Kirk over the last week. 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. by Blue Jays Talk

40 min listen

Jays Talk Plus: Disappointing Weekend of Baseball: 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 p by Blue Jays Talk

99 min listen

Vladdy Jr. Comes Through With the Walk-Off: Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-5 walk-off win over the Red Sox at Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and get right to the ninth inning as four straight Blue Jays reach base, including a pinch-hit single from Alejandro Kirk to get things started, and the game-winning RBI from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. They discuss how this could be a massive turning point within the AL East/AL Wild Card race, and how Ross Stripling held it down for another terrific start. Plus, a discussion on how the bats saved the bullpen from an embarrassing end to the game. 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. by Blue Jays Talk

33 min listen

Winless in Seattle: 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. by Blue Jays Talk

34 min listen

Run Support Falters for a Manoah Gem: 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. by Blue Jays Talk

26 min listen

Starting Rotation Gets Thinner with Gausman Injury: 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. by Blue Jays Talk

24 min listen

Jays Talk Plus: The Case for The Shift & Being an All-Star: Blake Murphy is joined by MLB.com's Julia Kreuz to discuss Alejandro Kirk's All-Star candidacy, which other Jays fielder could join the team, why Jordan Romano might get the nod, and if Gabriel Moreno has lived up to the hype since getting called up (04:56). Former Raptors forward and Milwaukee Brewers fan Sam Dekker jumps on to chat about his decision to pursue basketball over baseball, his relationship with George Springer, and how he relates to Rowdy Tellez's career in the Majors (26:13). MLB.com's Mike Petriello stops by to break down the effectiveness of the shift, the disparity in Jordan Romano's home and road splits, and his early take on how he sees the trade deadline playing out (50:04). To wrap up, Blake tees-up the weekend series against the Brewers (01:17:23). 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 by Blue Jays Talk

98 min listen

Jays Talk Plus: Hypothetical Packages for Soto & Ohtani + Red Sox Setup: Blake Murphy returns with Jays Talk Plus and is joined by Sportsnet.ca's Ben Nicholson-Smith to discuss their expectations for the Toronto ballclub ahead of the second half, resting George Springer, if the front office can make a move for Juan Soto, and the main priorities to improve on ahead of the trade deadline (5:42). Afterward Blake looks back Alek Manoah's showcase at the 2022 All-Star Game (35:42). FanGraphs' Dan Szymborski jumps on to chat about the tight race in the AL Wild Card, why he would like to see the White Sox add Soto to their roster, and if outfielder Bryan Reynolds could fit on the Jays (53:58). Finally, Blake previews the Blue Jays and Red Sox series to kick-off the second half of the season (1:15:20). 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. by Blue Jays Talk

98 min listen

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Jays Talk Plus: A Swing and A Missed Opportunity

Jays Talk Plus: A Swing and A Missed Opportunity

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