Blue Jays Happy Hour

The Blue Jays have vanquished the New York Yankees—by way of an insanely stressful bullpen game, no less—and are on to the ALCS to meet either the Tigers or the Mariners for the right to represent the American League in the World Series! It's a sublime and surreal moment, but are the vibes better today than after that glorious weekend after they blasted the Yankees in games One and Two to take an instant stranglehold on the series?This week we discuss all of that, plus we ask whether we've learned anything about this Blue Jays team over the course of these last four games, whether there's an ALCS opponent we'd prefer and why it's the Tigers, and more!FOR AN AD-FREE VERSION OF THIS EPISODE AND TO UNLOCK ALL OF OUR PLAYOFF COVERAGE, SUPPORT US AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Blue Jays' Home Run Jacket has returned, and with it has come some additional offence. It is already too little too late? In this week's clothing-heavy episode, Nick and Stoeten talk about it, as well as the sorry state of the Blue Jays, positive stories to watch going forward, the upcoming City Connect uniform reveal, and the (possibly fake?) "leaked" jersey making waves this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The top of the free agent market may finally be moving. Rumours about offers from the Mets to Kyle Tucker, and the Phillies meeting with Bo Bichette, indicate that a conclusion to their free agent sagas may soon be ending. Though, even if they do, there's still plenty of work to do—not just for the Blue Jays, who have a real chance in these next few years to ascend long-term to marquee status among MLB franchises, but for a pair of division rivals whose status may be slipping if they can't pull off a big finish to this winter: the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.** FOR AN AD-FREE VERSION OF THIS—AND EVERY—EPISODE, PLUS WEEKLY BONUS SHOWS, FIND US AT patreon.com/BJHH ** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Big Oak Era has begun! The Blue Jays have finally made a big splash in the Far East, signing the first ever position player to be posted by the 22-time Japan Series champion Yomiuri Giants, Kazuma Okamoto.A player of great intrigue for many reasons—including how he'll fit with the Blue Jays defensively, whether his improved strikeout rate in 2025 was for real (it jumped from a still-excellent 15.9% down to an unbelievable 11.3%), how well his ability will translate overall, and how much of a marketing win in Japan his acquisition will prove to be for the Jays—Okamoto was unveiled by the club in a press conference on Tuesday, where he charmed in both Japanese and, briefly, English. If he can contribute even just a little more than half of his 2025 wRC+ of 210 in the big leagues, he'll be an outstanding addition on a Jays club where his high-contact/low-strikeout skillset should fit right in. And his arrival doesn't even appear to have taken the team out of the running for top free agent Kyle Tucker or a reunion with homegrown star Bo Bichette.Fun times!** FOR AN AD-FREE VERSION OF THIS—AND EVERY—EPISODE, PLUS WEEKLY BONUS SHOWS, FIND US AT patreon.com/BJHH ** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

** FOR AN AD-FREE VERSION OF THIS—AND EVERY—EPISODE, PLUS WEEKLY BONUS SHOWS, FIND US AT patreon.com/BJHH **What a difference a year makes. It was only just 365 days ago that Jays fans were despairing, wondering why Ross Atkins still had a job after a nine year tenure that had culminated in a dreadful 2024, still smarting from Juan Soto's decision to sign with the Mets, trying to understand the Andrés Giménez acquisition, questioning whether Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could be signed to a contract extension, and feeling nothing but dread about the future, the state of the club's house of cards, and the wisdom of those in charge.Today they're viewed by players, fans, and the industry as a whole as one of the truly exemplary organizations in the sport, and potentially on the verge of ascending to marquee franchise status, having put together a brilliant, compelling, gritty, drama-filled, fun-as-hell campaign that took them to within mere milimetres of an unprobable World Series victory.It's been a hell of a trip around the sun, hasn't it?And this week we're looking back on all of it—from the low expectations, through the ugly start, to the coalescing of an elite team, to one of the all-time great—and all-time heartbreaking—seasons in the history of Canadian sports. Or maybe anybody's sports anywhere.Have a listen... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Please enjoy in full our latest Patreon-exclusive bonus episode, as we continue our intermittent series of indeterminate length looking back on some of the key players from the 2025 Blue Jays, focusing this week on the team's breakout slugger: Addison Barger.WEEKLY BONUS EPISODES AND AD-FREE VERSIONS OF OUR MAIN SHOWS ALL AVAILABLE AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here is a short preview of our latest Patreon-exclusive bonus episode, in which we continue our intermittent series of indeterminate length looking back on some of the key players from the 2025 Blue Jays, focusing this week on the team's God of Contact: Ernie Clement!FULL EPISODE, WEEKLY BONUS EPISODES, AND AD-FREE VERSIONS OF OUR MAIN SHOWS ALL AVAILABLE AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here in our latest Patreon-exclusive bonus episode, we continue our intermittent series of indeterminate length looking back on some of the key players from the 2025 Blue Jays, focusing this week on the team's true rotation stalwart: Kevin Gausman!FULL EPISODE, WEEKLY BONUS EPISODES, AND AD-FREE VERSIONS OF OUR MAIN SHOWS ALL AVAILABLE AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're deep into transaction season, and the Blue Jays have had a few of them for us since our last episode—some big, some small. This week we take a look at all of them, giving the big ones—the addition of reliever Tyler Rogers on a three-year deal, and the new five-year extension for club president Mark Shapiro—the bulk of our attention, naturally.Plus we look at a potential future transaction: a reunion with shortstop Bo Bichette, who is now reportedly indicating to suitors that he's willing to shift to second base.FOR AN AD-FREE VERSION OF THIS—AND EVERY—EPISODE, PLUS WEEKLY BONUS SHOWS, FIND US AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a preview of our latest Patreon-exclusive bonus episode, as we continue our intermittent series of indeterminate length looking back on some of the key players from the 2025 Blue Jays, focusing this week on a player who the Jays signed to a contract extension this spring that might have genuinely altered the trajectory of the franchise: catcher Alejandro Kirk!FULL EPISODE, WEEKLY BONUS EPISODES, AND AD-FREE VERSIONS OF OUR MAIN SHOWS ALL AVAILABLE AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MLB's annual Winter Meetings took place this week, but if you're a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays you can be forgiven if you missed it—or, at the very least, didn't quite get what all the hype was about. Partly, that's because the Jays didn't have to sweat their way through the festivities distractedly chasing ghosts while Plan B types fly off the board like they often do. And partly it's because their biggest move of the week—outside of some Ross Atkins unforced PR errors—was their surprising selection of Spencer Miles from the Giants in the Rule 5 draft.What a whirlwind! And this week we're talking about all of it—and how it has genuinely set up the rest of the offseason—and more!FOR AN AD-FREE VERSION OF THIS—AND EVERY—EPISODE, PLUS WEEKLY BONUS SHOWS, FIND US AT patreon.com/BJHH*APOLOGIES FOR THE MINOR AUDIO ISSUES!* Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a preview of our latest Patreon-exclusive bonus episode, in which we continue our intermittent series of indeterminate length looking back on some of the key players from the 2025 Blue Jays. In this one we look at the face of the franchise, and his tale of two seasons—the regular one and the post-season: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.FULL EPISODE, WEEKLY BONUS EPISODES, AND AD-FREE VERSIONS OF OUR MAIN SHOWS ALL AVAILABLE AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm seeing double here. Fourteen potential Jays starting pitchers??!?OK, OK, the Jays may not quite have quite that many rotation options—Eric Lauer is pretty clearly slated for the bullpen at this point, at the very least—but with the additions of Dylan Cease and, now, Cody Ponce, they clearly have six. (Gausman, Yesavage, Bieber, and Berríos, of course, being the others). And because of that glut, Ponce's arrival is not your typical three-year, $30 million signing of the reigning KBO MVP.And this week we've jumped on mic a day earlier than usual to talk all about it!FOR AN AD-FREE VERSION OF THIS—AND EVERY—EPISODE, PLUS WEEKLY BONUS SHOWS, FIND US AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a preview of our latest Patreon-exclusive bonus episode, in which we continue our intermittent series of indeterminate length looking back on some of the key players from the 2025 Blue Jays. In this one we move on from free-agents-to-be to the poster boy for their "internal improvements" and embrace of bat speed: George Springer.FULL EPISODE, WEEKLY BONUS EPISODES, AND AD-FREE VERSIONS OF OUR MAIN SHOWS ALL AVAILABLE AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The puns have yet to cease, and why would they just yet? Because we're still very much in the afterglow of the Toronto Blue Jays handing out a $210 million contract to one of the absolute most durable, highest-strikeout starting pitchers in the sport. And they may not be done big game hunting, either.What else does will Dylan Cease bring over the next seven seasons? That's... that's an interesting question. And it's the main one we grapple with this week!FOR AN AD-FREE VERSION OF THIS—AND EVERY—EPISODE, PLUS WEEKLY BONUS SHOWS, FIND US AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

*EXTREME WINGS-ERA PAUL McCARTNEY VOICE* Jeff! OooOooOoo OO ooOOoo! Jeff!Yes, that's right. I said Jeff. As in Jeff Passan of ESPN, who is as credible as they come, and who this week left open all the possibilities for an incredible winter, telling us that the Jays “want a left-handed complement to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.,” that they have “no plans to slow down,” that “they are considered the favourite by other executives to land (Kyle) Tucker,” and that they “still could conceivably sign Tucker and (Bo) Bichette."So in this episode we talk all about it, and about the Jays possibly seizing the moment to truly try to become a perennial big-money contender.Plus!: Qualifying offers, Nick Sandlin (and Andres Gimenez), Ricky Tiedemann, the team we'd least like to see Bo end up with, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane Bieber made a curious decision to return to the Jays, and Bo Bichette has finally reached free agency—though so have plenty of other intriguing targets for a Jays team with a real chance to be even better in 2026. And this week we talk about all that, and a whole lot more, as we turn the page on the magical season that was and begin looking to the future.FOR AN AD-FREE VERSION OF EVERY EPISODE AND WEEKLY BONUS SHOWS, FIND US AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Blue Jays got as close to winning a World Series as physically possible. But, as I am quite certain I do not need to tell you, the Blue Jays did not win the World Series.On an unbelievable playoff ride, an instant classic of a series, and a wild ending beloved by all except the team and fan base crushingly heartbroken by it.FOR AN AD-FREE VERSION OF EVERY EPISODE AND WEEKLY BONUS SHOWS, FIND US AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The job isn't done yet, but the Blue Jays have been getting it done, as they bounced back from an 18 inning loss in Game Three to win twice in Los Angeles and, behind another Trey Yesavage performance for the ages, head back to Toronto needing to win just one of the next two in order to become World Series champions. What a world!FOR AN AD-FREE VERSION OF EVERY EPISODE AND TO UNLOCK ALL OF OUR PLAYOFF COVERAGE, FIND US AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a cap-tip-worthy performance from Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game Two (and an inexplicable appearance from the Jonas Brothers) the Blue Jays and Dodgers are taking the World Series to California tied at one game apiece. The Jays will need to win one of the next three to get back to Canada with a chance to become champions, and this week we talk about how we got here, and how they might get there.Plus: The Bo Bichette of it all, folk hero Addison Barger, and thoughts on upcoming starters Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber.FOR AN AD-FREE VERSION OF EVERY EPISODE AND TO UNLOCK ALL OF OUR PLAYOFF COVERAGE, FIND US AT patreon.com/BJHH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.