Blair & Barker

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker welcome Hall of Famer Chipper Jones to kick off the final hour of the week. He discusses the potential impacts of the Jays' 5-day layoff, how Vladimir Guerrero Jr. can be a 'tough out,' the key to managing playoff nerves, and his thoughts on the AL MVP between Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh. Later, Fox Sports' Joe Davis (26:26), who will be on the call for the Jays' and Yankees' series, joins the show to share his expectations for Game 1, the postseason's pitching showcase so far, why George Springer is the Jays' x-factor, and the Dodgers' keys to victory against the Phillies. Finally, Jeff and Kevin review the Jays' media 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.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker chat about the New York Yankees advancing to the ALDS over the Boston Red Sox, locking in a date against the Blue Jays. They get into New York's pitching, including Cam Schlittler's 12-strikeout masterpiece in Game 3, what else they've learned from the Yankees during the Wild Card series, and John Schneider officially declaring Kevin Gausman as the Game 1 starter. Then, ESPN analyst and two-time World Series winner Hunter Pence (12:21) stops by to discuss New York's performance over Boston, the blueprint for the Jays to take down the Bronx Bombers, and the impacts of the 5-day layoff. Afterwards, Blue Jays radio analyst Chris Leroux joins the guys (34:12) to weigh in on the two teams' velocity, game planning with pitch-tipping, who he expects to start in Game 2, and how Kevin Gausman should attack Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.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 are joined by Apple TV & MLB Network analyst Ryan Spilborghs (0:58) to share some thoughts on the Wild Card thus far. He weighs in on the Dodgers' decision to start Shohei Ohtani in Game 1 against the Phillies in the NLDS, Mookie Betts' reinvention, the Jays' keys to a deep run, and whether the Yankees' and Red Sox's fielding will come back to bite them. Then, MLB Network analyst Sean Casey joins the show (13:52) to share his advice for young starters making their postseason debuts, why the Jays' final regular season stretch sets them up well for playoff baseball, and the pressure on Aaron Judge to turn around his postseason reputation. Finally, Jeff and Kevin tee up the Red Sox and Yankees' Game 3, discuss how the Jays will roll out their rotation in the ALDS, and weigh in on where Max Scherzer fits in.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 begin their discussions on the New York Yankees tying the Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers punching their ticket to the NLDS over the Cincinnati Reds and Shohei Ohtani making the start for Game 1 against the Philadelphia Phillies before bringing on Seattle Mariners' bench coach Manny Acta (12:02). He chats about his team's intrasquad games including Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki, the positive and negative effects of a long layoff before the first round of post-season games, what people don't know about Cal Raleigh, and Josh Naylor's contributions to the Mariners this year. Then, Jeff and Kevin catch up with World Series champion and former Blue Jays pitcher Mark Buehrle (27:30), who talks about life after baseball, the 2015 Jays' squad, the difficulties of pitching a postseason game, and the game's transition to using the pitch clock. 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 welcome former Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo to kick off the second hour (1:00). He discusses the pressure that comes with pitching at Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium, the mental chess match of postseason pitching, the Reds' experience mismatch in their series against the Dodgers, and he shares a live sample from his new record, Raw Confessions. Later, ESPN insider Jeff Passan joins the show (28:40) to share some impressions from the first day and a half of Wild Card baseball, the lefty-pitching showcase, Aaron Boone's decision to pull Max Fried in the seventh inning of Game 1, rumours that Albert Pujols is in line for the Angels manager job, and much 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 affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker begin the show reacting to the Boston Red Sox's comeback win over the Yankees in New York in the Wild Card opener, Aroldis Chapman holding off a late chance by the Bronx Bombers in two straight innings before hearing from Blue Jays' general manager Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider's media availabilities on their expectations for Vladdy, Trey Yesavage, and Jeff Hoffman, and learning from past post-season failures. Then, Blue Jays TV play-by-play voice Dan Shulman stops by (32:05) to chat about his ideal playoff rotation, how many left-handed pitchers could we see on the roster, closer options, and his assessment of the Red Sox's Game 1 win.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 welcome in Jomboy Media's Chris Rose (1:07) to go over the Tigers' Game 1 win over the Cleveland Guardians to kick off the postseason. He gets into Tarik Skubal's dominant outing, the key to Cleveland's pitching development, his view of the Red Sox and Yankees' series, why the Brewers are vulnerable, and the pressure on Aaron Judge. Later, Jeff and Kevin tune in to Skubal's post-game availability, review his franchise-record tying performance, and discuss the Yankees' and Red Sox's biggest flaws ahead of first pitch in their Wild Card series.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 open the show, discussing Tarik Skubal's outstanding performance to help his Detroit Tigers win Game 1 over the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Wild Card, and the Blue Jays' hosting two intrasquad games at the Rogers Centre during their bye week. former Jays All-Star pitcher Marco Estrada stops by (16:05) to chat about his experience on the mound starting an elimination game, his advice to Trey Yesavage in his first potential postseason start, working through long layoffs in between playoff series and games, playing in front of the Toronto crowd, and who he thinks is the better matchup for the Jays between the Yankees and Red Sox. Then, Jays' analyst and former catcher Caleb Joseph joins the guys (34:50) in-studio to touch on how he would handle a bunch of days off before their playoff game, what it would mean for the Jays to beat the Yankees in the DS, and his ideal starting rotation.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 are joined by Sportsnet's MLB insider Shi Davidi (1:21) to look ahead to the ALDS and discuss the Jays' playoff roster decisions. He gets into Bo Bichette's status, the plan for Chris Bassitt, how the team might use Trey Yesavage, what the Jays will focus on during their time off and which opponent would make for a more entertaining ALDS, the Red Sox or the Yankees. Then, Jeff and Kevin make their Wild Card predictions. Later, MLB Network's Dan Plesac (30:14) stops by to share how important the bye is for the Blue Jays, the Yankees' and Red Sox's biggest flaws, the pressure on Aaron Judge, why the Mariners are dangerous, the Phillies' path to the World Series and the significance of home-field advantage in the playoffs.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 begin the week discussing the Blue Jays clinching the AL East title in style with their season finale win over the Tampa Bay Rays, whether we will see Chris Bassitt or Bo Bichette make an appearance in the ALDS, and the outlook on the starting rotation for the postseason. Then, Jeff and Kevin look at the managerial carousel across the MLB, Wild Card matchups and the differences between the Jays' 2015 and 2025 rosters. Finally, the guys open up the Back Leg Line for your thoughts on who would be a better matchup for Toronto between the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox in the ALDS 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 affiliates.

Blue Jays TV analyst Buck Martinez (1:50) joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to kick off the second hour. They look back on the Jays' 6-1 win over the Red Sox, Daulton Varsho's grand slam, what's made George Springer's production sustainable, and Louis Varland and Eric Lauer's statement to start the bullpen game. Then, Buck weighs in on Vladdy Jr.'s recent performance at the plate, what to expect from Shane Bieber against the Rays, and the importance of the bye for the Jays. Later, WEEI reporter and host of Baseball Isn't Boring, Rob Bradford (25:15), swings by to tee up the Detroit Tigers' series against the Red Sox with the AL Central title on the line. He discusses Detroit's historic collapse after having led the Guardians by 15 games this season, Boston's postseason outlook, and his thoughts on the Jays. Finally, Jeff and Kevin share their predictions for this weekend's action around 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 affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker open the show discussing the Blue Jays' big home win to end their series against the Boston Red Sox, Louis Varland's and Eric Lauer's strong outing in the finale, and Alek Manoah getting claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves. Then, Blue Jays manager John Schneider stops by (28:25) for his weekly chat on Varland's start to the bullpen game, how both him and Lauer could be utilized in the postseason, the decision to keep Daulton Varsho in the game to face against a left-handed pitcher, how Anthony Santander's swing looks coming off the IL and rehab stints, George Springer's decisions at the plate, who could be in the running to start the regular season finale, and Alejandro Kirk's increased workload this year.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 look in on John Schneider's pre-game availability ahead of the Blue Jays' series finale against the Boston Red Sox. To help tee up the game, Jays radio voice Ben Shulman (7:03) weighs in on the decision to start Louis Varland in the pivotal matchup, how the team is dealing with the pressure of a division race and Anthony Santander's return to the lineup. Then, Jeff and Kevin open up the Back Leg Line to take calls, questions, and gauge the Jays' faithful's concern levels as the division lead dwindles. Finally, The Athletic's Tyler Kepner stops by (27:15) to discuss the New York Yankees' recent play to gain ground on the Jays, their postseason outlook and Aaron Judge's MVP-level season.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 weigh the magnitude of the Blue Jays' series finale against the Boston Red Sox after dropping two straight, including being shut out, with Louis Varland getting the nod to start their bullpen day. Then, they go through Max Scherzer's final regular-season start and react to the news of José Berríos being sent to the IL following his bullpen outing. Later, Mike Cameron (31:07), special assignment coach of the Seattle Mariners, stops by to discuss the club clinching the AL West, the hitting differences from 2024 to Cal Raleigh's historic 2025 season, and the difficulties of a manager trying to bring the best out of their team's offence.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 react to the Blue Jays signing Korean pitching prospect Seojun Moon and some rotation updates before listening in on John Schneider's game-day availability. ESPN MLB analyst Doug Glanville (9:46) stops by to share his thoughts on the Jays' season, George Springer's buy-in, the Yankees' October outlook and whether the Detroit Tigers have 'lost their mojo.' Later, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan joins the show (29:32) to discuss the controversial foul call in the Jays/Red Sox's series opener, a lack of pushback on the incoming ABS rule, the Guardians' postseason potential, and how he handicaps the AL playoff races that could go down to the wire.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 begin the show touching on the controversial calls from the Blue Jays' series-opening loss to the Boston Red Sox, Alek Manoah being DFA'd, Anthony Santander batting fifth in the order in his return to the lineup and Vladdy's struggles in the final games of the year. Then, VSiN By The Books co-host and former MLB pitcher Jensen Lewis (30:17) stops by to chat about the Cleveland Guardians on the verge of a historical comeback in the AL Central standings over dwindling Detroit Tigers, the adjustment Bo Naylor made in his swing, how important Max Scherzer's final regular season start is, the path for the Blue Jays to clinch the division, and his clubhouse experience with Myles Straw.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.

MLB Network insider Jon Morosi joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker (0:32) to kick off the second hour, and they react to MLB's announcement that it will be implementing the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS) for the 2026 season. Then, they discuss the Jays' outlook down the stretch, the Guardians' miraculous playoff push, the Mets' late-season collapse, and why the Reds could be dangerous in the postseason. Later, Blue Jays pitching prospect Gage Stanifer joins the guys in studio (29:38) to reflect on his year across three levels in the Jays' farm system, his impressions of Trey Yesavage, and the next steps in his development.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 open the show discussing Anthony Santander's injury status, the ideal spot for him in the batting order once he returns, Addison Barger cleaning up, and the magnitude of the Blue Jays' final series against the Boston Red Sox. Then, NESN Red Sox's studio host Tom Caron (19:26) jumps on to discuss Boston's path to the post-season, the velocity from their top starters including Lucas Giolito, the glaring gap without Roman Anthony, the ramifications if the club don't make the playoffs, Alex Cora's future, where Aroldis Chapman's year stacks up in his career and Red Sox's history, and who needs to step up during this chase into the Wild Card. Afterwards, we hear from Blue Jays' manager John Schneider on Anthony Santander's road back to becoming active on the 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.

Jeff Blair welcomes Kevin Barker back from his Virginia Tech Hall of Fame ceremony before they are joined by Blue Jays Central's Caleb Joseph (6:30) to discuss the Jays' biggest unknowns with just six games left in the regular season. They get into the potential postseason rotation, how the Jays would use Anthony Santander once —or if— he returns, and who hits second against righties. Later, Blue Jays special assistant Kevin Kiermaier (31:45) discusses the clubhouse vibes after clinching a playoff spot, what's different about the 2025 Jays, and what the young players can expect from playoff 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.

Jeff Blair and the returning Kevin Barker begin the show recapping the Blue Jays clinching a postseason berth after their win in the series finale against the Kansas City Royals, Trey Yesavage's second start and Max Scherzer's outing over the weekend, their roles in October and Bo Bichette's comments on Ernie Clement and Myles Straw's clubhouse leadership. Then, FOX Sports' MLB analyst and World Series Champion Adam Wainwright stops by (29:18) to discuss pitching in the regular season vs. in the postseason, the pressure on a starter and bullpen pitcher, playoff experience, and changing routines nearing the end of the year and during a pennant race.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.