Claim OwnershipDeep Left Field with Mike Wilner
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Longtime Toronto Blue Jays radio voice Mike Wilner hosts Deep Left Field, a baseball podcast from the Toronto Star. With great baseball coverage, opinion and analysis, Deep Left Field has everything you need to know about the Jays, specifically, and baseball in general.
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It's the day after the day after and the Blue Jays' loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series is still a heartbreaking gut punch. We throw open the Monday Mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca to share your thoughts, feelings and questions about the game, the series and the season as a whole and hear from a wide range of listeners, from the zen-like appreciation of the Jays' magical year to the anger and frustration over opportunities missed by a team that had a championship within its grasp. And why did IKF slide? Plus, my thoughts on the grave injustice of Gold Gloves denied to Ernie Clement and Alejandro Kirk. Listen here or subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts. If you would like to support the journalism of the Toronto Star, you can at thestar.com/subscribe.
Guests: Chris Bassitt, Ernie Clement, Myles Straw, Daulton Varsho The baseball season is over and the Blue Jays fell short by two outs or one run, however you want to slice it. The Los Angeles Dodgers beat them 5-4 in 11 innings to finish one of the greatest World Series ever played with one of the greatest Game 7s. We went through the saddest clubhouse I have ever seen to bring you the post-game reactions of Ernie Clement and Chris Bassitt, who were in tears throughout their media scrum, Daulton Varsho, whose one-out grounder in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded couldn't plate the winning run, and Myles Straw, one of the "glue guys" on an extraordinarily close team. Also, we open the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca. It was a sad finish to a phenomenal season, and we still want to hear from you!
Guests: Ernie Clement, Trey Yesavage The final day of the 2025 baseball season is upon us and for the first time in franchise history, the Blue Jays will be playing in Game 7 of the World Series. Even though they never had the lead at any point, Game 6 was a tough loss, ending with Addison Barger getting doubled off second base, representing the tying run. We talk to Ernie Clement, who came up in the bottom of the ninth with runners at second and third, to talk about his one-pitch at-bat and his feelings going into Game 7. Also, Trey Yesavage joins us and tells us he's ready to go in the finale if necessary, even though he threw more than 100 pitches on Wednesday night. Plus, we open the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca - keep 'em coming!
No scary stuff on this Hallowe'en edition of Deep Left Field, just a trip into the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca as we get you set for Game 6 of the World Series a game that, if the Blue Jays should win, would get them their first championship since 1993 and only their third overall. We hear from Jays fans from Toronto and all across Canada from BC to PEI, as well as all the way in Ireland and Belgium on topics ranging from who might throw out the first pitch in Game 6 to should the Jays try to lock up Trey Yesavage now to just plenty of appreciation and admiration for this group. The Blue Jays could win the World Series tonight. Check out Deep Left Field to get you set.
Guests: Max Scherzer, Jeff Hoffman, Braydon Fisher, Joey Loperfido Trey Yesavage made history with his performance in Game 5 of the World Series, sending the Blue Jays home to Toronto with a chance to win the whole shebang on Friday night. The 22-year-old broke his own Jays post-season record with 12 strikeouts and set or tied at least four other post-season or World Series records. We discuss it all with a quartet of Jays who all watched Yesavage with different perspectives. Max Scherzer is the Hall of Famer-to-be with 18 years in the bigs, seeing a kid with a month and a half in the majors do things he's never done. Jeff Hoffman, a Jays' first-round pick exactly a decade before Yesavage, watched from the bullpen. Braydon Fisher, voted the Jays' rookie of the year this season, was a big-leaguer four months before Yesavage and talks about their shared rookiedom in the Jays' clubhouse. And Joey Loperfido saw this coming. And as always, a dip into the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca!
The baseball season is going to end in Toronto this year. The Blue Jays assured that there will be at least a Game 6 of the World Series, to be played at Rogers Centre Friday night, with their come-from-behind 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4, a game that started barely 17 hours after the 18-inning marathon Game 3 finished. In this episode of Deep Left Field, we'll hear from winning pitcher Shane Bieber, who held the Dodgers to one run into the sixth, striking out Shohei Ohtani twice, and we'll open up the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca!
Guests: Eric Lauer, Kevin Gausman The Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers played 18 innings of World Series baseball over more than six and a half hours Monday night (and Tuesday morning!), tying the longest game in Fall Classic history, and the Dodgers came out on top thanks to a Freddie Freeman home run. We talk to Eric Lauer, who provided 4 2/3 innings of shutout relief - part of 10 straight shutout innings by the Jays' bullpen - and to Kevin Gausman, one of only three players on the Jays' roster who didn't participate in the game. Also, the mailbag returns at deepleftfield@thestar.ca!
Guest: Nathan Lukes The Blue Jays were utterly dominated by Los Angeles Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2 of the World Series, losing 5-1 and having the last 20 hitters in a row retired. Not only did Yamamoto take out the Jays' bats, he apparently took my voice, too, but Deep Left Field will always be here for you. Nathan Lukes, one of the four Jays to actually manage a hit on Saturday, joins me to talk about how sometimes the other guy is just better. Also, we open the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca so that you can have your voices heard, even if you can't really hear mine.
1Guests: Addison Barger, Bo Bichette, Ernie Clement The Blue Jays not only won the opener of the MLB Fall Classic on Friday, they sent a firm message to the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers that Toronto is not going to be just another pit stop on their road to a repeat. The fans also sent a firm message to Shohei Ohtani when he came to bat in the ninth inning, chanting, "We don't need you!" The Jays exploded for the biggest single inning in a World Series game since 1968, scoring nine runs in the sixth. Bo Bichette, playing for the first time in seven weeks, started that inning with a walk. Ernie Clement gave the Jays the lead with an RBI single three batters later and later still, Addison Barger clubbed the first-ever pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history. All three Blue Jays join us in Deep Left Field to talk about the big game. Plus, we open the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca!!
Guests: Blue Jays Shane Bieber, Ernie Clement, Kevin Gausman, Daulton Varsho and Mike Cieslinski of Dynasty League Baseball With the Blue Jays about to begin their first World Series since 1993, we look back to their thrilling Game 7 of the American League championship series against the Seattle Mariners and ahead to the opener of the Fall Classic. We hear from Shane Bieber, who started Game 7 and Kevin Gausman, who got the win in relief, as they celebrated that great night, and then talk to Ernie Clement about the Jays' quiet confidence and Daulton Varsho about his memories of playing at Dodger Stadium when he was with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Also, Mike Cieslinski of Dynasty League Baseball Powered by Pursue The Pennant joins us to discuss a Jays-Dodgers World Series simulation. All that and we dip into the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca.
Guests: Clare Blackwood, Nick Dika, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee With the start of the World Series only one day away, we gather a panel of Canadian stars of stage and screen to look back at the Blue Jays win over the Seattle Mariners in the American League and look ahead at the Fall Classic against the heavily-favoured Los Angeles Dodgers. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, star of Kim's Convenience, the Mandalorian, Avatar: The Last Airbender and more, Nick Dika of Arkells and Clare Blackwood of The Beaverton join me to discuss all the tension and excitement of the playoff chase, the biggest moments of the hard-fought series with Seattle and what they hope for from the Jays in their first World Series appearance in 32 years. It's a fantastic conversation with Jays fans from the entertainment world and, as always, we open up the mailbag!
Guests: Max Scherzer, John Schneider, Jose Bautista As we await Friday night's opener of the World Series, the first in Toronto in over three decades, we look back at the post-game party after the Blue Jays thrilling win in Game 7 of the American League championship series Monday night. Max Scherzer, never at a loss for energy, nearly blows the decibel meter on our system as he raves about the team he chose because, as he said in January, he wanted to win the World Series, and about his fellow elder statesmen, George Springer, Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman (each one at least five years his junior). John Schneider, in his third full season as Jays' manager but his 24th year in the organization, wells up as he talks about coaches Don Mattingly, Pete Walker and DeMarlo Hale, and wishes the Seattle Mariners a good winter vacation. And a raspy-voiced Jose Bautista joins us to talk about witnessing Springer's magical home run, as so many of us witnessed his a decade ago. All that plus the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca!
Guests: Game 7 hero George Springer, Game 7 closer Jeff Hoffman For the first time in 32 years, the World Series is coming to Toronto. The Blue Jays won the pennant, dropping the Seattle Mariners 4-3 in a winner-take-all Game 7 of the American League championship series on a dramatic three-run home run by George Springer, bringing them back from a 3-1 deficit. After Springer went deep, Chris Bassitt pitched a perfect eighth and Jeff Hoffman struck out the side in order in the ninth to secure the victory, sending the Jays to the Fall Classic for the first time since 1993. Both Springer and Hoffman join us from the post-game celebrations to talk about the historic win and this incredible Jays team, one that picked up its 101st win of the season on Monday night and will now take on the reigning champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in a World Series that begins at Rogers Centre on Friday night. The mailbag will be back tomorrow, so send your thoughts to deepleftfield@thestar.ca.
We come to you live from the turf, deep in feft field, following the celebrations after the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Seattle Mariners 4-3 in dramatic fashion to advance to the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
We are on the field during BP prior to the start of Game 7. We all know the stakes. Keep your eyes and ears out for more episodes coming tonight and tomorrow morning.
Guests: Blue Jays infielders Andres Gimenez and Isiah Kiner-Falefa The Blue Jays are the closest they've been to the World Series since 1993 thanks to their 6-2 win over the Seattle Mariners that evened up the American League championship series at three wins apiece. In this playoff bonus episode of Deep Left Field, we take you through Sunday's big win with two of the key cogs – Andres Gimenez, who was involved in all three consecutive inning-ending double plays (two with the bases loaded) that the Jays turned in the third, fourth and fifth innings, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who had a hand in two of them and also drove in a run with an infield single. As well, we open the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca to hear your thoughts on all things Blue Jays as they move toward their first post-season Game 7 in 40 years. A trip to the World Series for the first time in over three decades is on the line Monday night, and Deep Left Field is here with you every step of the way.
We are bringing you a quick post-Game 6 reaction from the Rogers Centre in the wee hours of Monday, October 20. A full reaction episode will be available before you start your day.
Before Game 6 of the ALCS in Toronto, where the Blue Jays look to stave off elimination and force Game 7 Monday night, Mike Wilner was on the field during Blue Jays batting practice to break down the stakes of this game (spoiler: the Jays need to win).
Guest: Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman For the first time this year, the Blue Jays will take the field knowing that if they lose, their season is over. The Jays dug themselves a huge hole by losing the first two games of the American League championship series at home against the Seattle Mariners, but they went up to the Pacific Northwest and evened up the series before their gut-wrenching loss in Game 5. In today's playoff bonus episode of Deep Left Field, Jays' closer Jeff Hoffman joins us to describe watching Friday's eighth-inning meltdown from the bullpen, and what he had to say to Brendon Little and Seranthony Dominguez after the fact. We also open the mailbag at deepleftfield@the star.ca to answer your Jays' questions and read your comments. Make sure you keep sending them in after Game 6!
Guest: Ernie Clement That was a tough loss. The Jays did what they needed to do in Seattle by winning two out of three to ensure they come back to Toronto with a chance to advance to the World Series (where the winner of the ALCS will face the Dodgers, who beat the Brewers Friday night). But the Jays will have to win both Game 6 on Sunday and Game 7 on Monday. It felt like the Blue Jays were on the cusp of winning this one but in the bottom of the 8th inning, up 2-1, John Schneider went to Brendon Little, who gave up a home run to Cal Raleigh to tie it 2-2, before the wheels came completely off. We hear from Ernie Clement in the clubhouse after the game. As always, we'll open up the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca.
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What a nice young man Alek Manoah comes across as. Thoughtful, intelligent, straightforward, and no attempt to obfuscate. There's clearly a lot of respect between him and Mike (and other Jays' correspondents by the sound of things), and that made for a really interesting listen. Looking forward to seeing him pitch again in August, fingers crossed...
Wilner you are doing such a great job. Your pacing and rhythm you have in your interviews and the way you speak is just fantastic. Though what I love most is how you listen. It’s such a great quality in an interviewer. To let space happen, let thoughts happen and then wind them together in a great response that adds to your listeners enjoyment. As a songwriter and someone with Bipolar and ADHD I end up hyper focused on minute small things that others might not pay attention to. Pacing and space is one of them. Since leaving your last gig and then starting this podcast you’ve improved remarkably in that manner. I think the platform helps with that. Please keep up the great work and know that the people that listen keep listening because they can’t pull away. Much love and respect BiPolaRMaN Ps. If you like new music our group Special Agent Sunshine is on the come up in the Canadian seen. Feel free to check us out. Stay awesome 😊