Jays Talk Plus: Coming Home With a Sweep

Manoah is Magnificent Once Again: Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 11-1 win over the Orioles at Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and get right to another terrific performance from Alek Manoah, who threw six innings of one-hit ball. They discuss the idea that perhaps he should be in the conversation with Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for a new mega-deal at some point in the not-too-distant future. Plus, they break down the double-digit offensive performance, including another towering home run from Vladdy Jr. 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

Jays Talk Plus: Prepping for Another Big Debut and Tigers Series: Blake Murphy is joined by MLB.com's Keegan Matheson who shares what surprised him when learning about Gabriel Moreno's story growing up, and details Moreno's natural athleticism, how the Jays' front office views him, and why this was the right time to call him up to the Majors (08:22). Defector's Maitreyi Anantharaman discusses her fandom for Detroit sports including the Tigers, the ballclub's offensive woes and losing record, and the reasons for optimism for the team's future (26:30). Baseball Prospectus's Jeffrey Paternostro stops by to chat about Moreno's progression both with his bat and defensively, the difficulty of projecting catching prospects, where prospect Jordan Groshans would fit with the main team and his timeline to get called up (51:20). To wrap up the show, Blake previews the weekend series against the Tigers, Moreno pairing up with Kevin Gausman, and shares the scouting report for Detroit's starting pit by Blue Jays Talk

98 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

Splitting the First Series of the Year vs. the Orioles: Blake Murphy breaks down the Blue Jays' 10-2 loss to the Orioles to wrap up the four-game series at Rogers Centre. He takes your calls and texts, and gets to the rough start from Kevin Gausman, who got beaten up by his former team. He also gets to the offence getting largely shut out, the lineup (both at the beginning and end of the game) shaking out, and living to fight another day (especially with the Yankees coming to town). 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

36 min listen

Kikuchi Gets Royally Roughed Up: Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 8-4 loss to the Royals to wrap the series. They take your calls, and get to the shortest outing of Yusei Kikuchi's career in Kansas City. They discuss whether or not he can recapture a better form, the miscues from Raimel Tapia in the sun (despite cranking a massive home run), and also break down the lineup itself with some dangerous batters on the bench. 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

12 min listen

A Sterling Start for Stripling: Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-0 win over the Tigers to take the series in Detroit! They take your calls and texts, and get into the six innings of one hit, shutout ball from Ross Stripling. They discuss his role going forward, and also look back to the starts from José Berríos and Kevin Gausman from earlier in the weekend. Plus, they get into Cavan Biggio's play in the month of June, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. socking a home run off Tarik Skubal. 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

45 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

Jays Talk Plus: Moreno Debut, Stripling Outing & Orioles Series Set-Up: Blake Murphy is joined by Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling in the first hour to recap the weekend series against the Tigers, Gabriel Moreno's debut catching Kevin Gausman and Ross Stripling, and highlight Moreno's impressive pop time (01:35). Afterward, Blake and Arden discuss Stripling's growing confidence on the mound, his use of the slider in comparison to his fastball, and the trust level the Jays have in the righty, before sharing their expectations for rookie pitcher Matt Gage (31:05). Later on, MASN's Paul Mancano stops by to chat about "the process" in the Orioles organization, if this will be another year of selling at the trade deadline, and if the Baltimore starters are getting comfortable with catching prospect Adley Rutschman since his call-up (50:42). Cadence Weapon (a.k.a. Rollie Pemberton), the author of "Bedroom Rapper", joins the show to talk about his newest book, his upbringing as a Canadian rapper an by Blue Jays Talk

98 min listen

Berríos Shoves + Bats Explode in Blowout Victory: Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 10-1 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park! He takes your texts, and gets into the stellar outing from José Berríos, who allowed just one run and five hits over eight innings of work, and gave the bullpen a much-needed reprieve. He also discusses the work of Alejandro Kirk - is he a top ten catcher across Major League Baseball? Sho debates that with the listeners, and also gets into the decision to pull George Springer from the game a triple shy of the cycle. 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

21 min listen

Moreno Makes His Big League Debut: Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 3-1 loss to the Tigers at Comerica Park. They take your calls and texts, and get into the big league debut of Gabriel Moreno, in which he threw out a runner at second base and collected his first hit off Gregory Soto in the ninth inning. They discuss a decent six-inning outing for Kevin Gausman, and also get to Cavan Biggio making some terrific defensive plays - what is Biggio's value as a 'super utility' player to this 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. by Blue Jays Talk

32 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

Jays Talk Plus: Sense of Urgency for the Pitching Staff?: Blake Murphy is joined by Blue Jays radio voice Ben Wagner who shares his impressions on Gabriel Moreno, Yusei Kikuchi's continuing struggle to start strong, how Hyun-jin Ryu's injury affects the pitching staff, and how Jose Berrios can build off his last few starts (02:33). Next, Blake reads your mailbag questions and looks at the Ryu void to identify what options are available, if Ross Stripling is the answer, and if this changes any future plans for Nate Pearson (25:54). In the second hour, The Athletic's Keith Law reveals what he looks for in catching prospects progressing from the Minors to the Majors, what makes the jump so difficult, why he's not high on RHP prospect Max Castillo, and how Keith scouts the stat line for young players (48:17). Finally, former MLB pitcher and VSiN host Josh Towers joins to discuss the transition from being a player to a part of the media, how pitchers can retain the trust of their coaching s by Blue Jays Talk

97 min listen

Jays Talk Plus: Moreno Palooza: Blake Murphy reacts to the news of Blue Jays prospect Gabriel Moreno getting the call up to the Majors, looks into what he could bring to the team, and asks listeners which former prospect they fell in love with first. MLB.com's Julia Kreuz, who collaborated on a piece dating Moreno's roots from Venezuela to becoming one of the top prospects in baseball, shares why he almost stopped playing the sport, and the strides he's made in his defensive game (07:12). Also from MLB.com, Sarah Langs breaks down Alejandro Kirk slotting himself alongside some of the best hitters in the league this year, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s tendency to hit ground balls, and Matt Chapman's defense at third base (29:12). Later on, Sportsnet's Shi Davidi weighs in on how much workload we can expect from Moreno both behind the plate and in the batting lineup, how he'll be integrated among the coaching staff and pitchers, and if there are concerns with Yusei Kikuchi's up and down start by Blue Jays Talk

98 min listen

Lucky Number 13 for José Berríos: 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. by Blue Jays Talk

28 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

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

Vladdy Jr. is Heating Up: Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 7-6 extra innings win over the Orioles at Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and get right to the game-winning RBI single from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the tenth inning; they discuss whether or not Vladdy Jr. is finally getting hot and if we can expect more consistency from him. They also break down the start from José Berríos, get into the mammoth home runs from Teoscar Hernandez and Matt Chapman, and discuss the offerings from Chapman outside of his stellar defensive play. 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

29 min listen

Jays Talk Plus: Explain It Black with Ricky Romero & Jeff Francis' Call to the Hall: Blake Murphy is joined by Sportsnet Producer Chris Black and former MLB pitcher Ricky Romero in the first hour to touch on Ricky's transition from playing the game to working in the media, his interactions with Alek Manoah, and the use of analytics vs. watching how pitchers pitch (02:27). Then, the guys chat about a potential change in the Jays' hitting strategy compared to their approach at the start of the season and being selectively aggressive in their at-bats (18:44). Afterward, Blake, Chris, and Ricky share their assessment of tonight's starter Yusei Kikuchi and when he's at his best on the mound, Romero's experience in throwing with a new, young catcher, and Ross Stripling's role on the team (31:59). Next, former MLB pitcher and 2022 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Francis stops by to discuss what it means to get the call to the Hall, his relationship with Justin Morneau, entering i by Blue Jays Talk

99 min listen

Jays Talk Plus: Welcoming the Red Hot Yankees to Town!: On this episode of Jays Talk + Blake Murphy previews the Jays series against the Yankees before welcoming on former Blue Jays catcher Caleb Joseph (8:03) to talk about Kevin Gausman's struggles last game, the hitter's approach, and what we can expect headed into this series! Drew Fairservice from the Spin Rate podcast (27:09) then joins Blake to talk about Justin Verlander almost landing in Toronto this past offseason. Maury Brown from Forbes compares the Jays' season to the Yankees, and how he sees Toronto playing out their year (50:52). Finally, James Wagner joins Blake (1:11:00) to talk about his article on Charlie Montoyo’s love for music and how it translates to his managing ability, and the likelihood that a Cuban world baseball classic team could look like. Finally, Blake goes over the pitching matchup for tonight’s ball game and all the betting line information you need! The views and opinions expressed in this podcast a by Blue Jays Talk

99 min listen

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

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

Rizzo, Yankees Harsh the Vibes at a Packed Rogers Centre: Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 12-3 loss to the Yankees at Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and discuss the Yankees bats staying incredibly hot, smashing apart the Jays relief pitching in the fifth inning. They get to the decision to go to Trent Thornton and Trevor Richards in that particular spot, and where any further reinforcements for relief pitching might come from. Plus, a discussion on home run celebrations when down big, and whether or not the Jays should focus more on the Wild Card race instead of the AL East title. 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

36 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

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

Manoah Shows Off His All-Star Arm: Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 8-1 win over the Royals at Rogers Centre. He takes your texts, and gets right to the All-Star performance of Alek Manoah, who threw seven innings of one-run ball in his tenth win of the year. Sho also discusses what we've seen from Matt Chapman and his three-run bomb, and takes a look at Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who still seems to look a little uncomfortable at the plate. Plus, a quick chat on Trevor Richards - is he back to his 2021 self? 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

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

Is Kikuchi Not Making Enough In-Game Adjustments?: Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-5 loss to the Orioles at Rogers Centre. They take your calls and texts, and get right into what they saw from Yusei Kikuchi - is it his mindset, is he too late to make adjustments on the fly, they discuss all the potential issues that continue to crop up when he starts for the Jays. They also get into Gabriel Moreno knocking in his first big league RBI, and the development they've seen from him in just a handful of games. 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

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

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

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

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Jays Talk Plus: Coming Home With a Sweep

Jays Talk Plus: Coming Home With a Sweep

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