Blue Jays Talk

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 12-2 Opening Day loss vs. the Orioles at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls and texts, and discuss what is worthy of overreacting to after Game 1 of 162 - should fans be worried about the batting order, or about José Berríos? Does this go back to offseason roster construction? Afterwards, Sho Alli and Roger Lajoie (42:52) continue taking your calls and texts, and get to the vibe down at the ballpark (until the first Orioles home run), and get into the recent discussions around Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a potential contract extension. 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.

Blake Murphy and Julia Kreuz discuss the Opening Day lineup, John Schneider’s comments on being more aggressive, the depth of relievers on the Blue Jays and lots more! (27:36) 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 affiliate.

Blake Murphy and Julia Kreuz are joined by Ben Nicholson-Smith to analyze Addison Barger’s future, Alan Roden earning a roster spot & Alejandro Kirk’s contract extension. Afterwards, Blake and Julia discuss Toronto’s early season schedule and questions surrounding AL East teams. 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 affiliate.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 2-1 Spring Training win over the Pirates to wrap up Grapefruit League play in Florida! They take your texts, and get into the roster decisions that saw all of Alan Roden, Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw, Davis Schneider, and Will Wagner making the roster - did Addison Barger deserve to make it over one of those names? They also discuss the pitchers, including Max Scherzer being penciled in for the third spot in the rotation, while Richard Lovelady and Jacob Barnes get the last two bullpen spots over Ryan Yarbrough and Tommy Nance - what went into the decision to not extend a spot to Yarbrough? Plus, it's time to make bold predictions - they give their own predictions, read the bold texts at 590-590, and also hear from both Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith and MLB.com's Keegan Matheson as to their bold predictions as well. 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.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 8-2 Spring Training loss vs. the Orioles in Grapefruit League action. They take your texts and get to Bo Bichette smoking another home run - is it a done deal that he will start the season as the team's leadoff hitter? Should the team rotate their leadoff hitter throughout the year? They also revisit their 26-man active roster discussions from earlier in the spring - how do Ryan Yarbrough, Myles Straw, Richard Lovelady, Mason Fluharty, and others all stand when it comes to making the 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.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 6-2 Spring Training win over the Braves in Grapefruit League action! They take your texts, and get to a terrific outing from José Berríos, who went six innings while allowing no runs or walks. With only a handful of spring games remaining, is Berríos best lined up for a start on Opening Day, or should both Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt be in the mix? They also discuss the plans for the outfield, and whether or not Alan Roden factors into that plan - if Daulton Varsho can't go for Opening Day, which of the team's many outfielders will get the call? 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.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 13-9 Spring Training win over the Rays! They take your texts, and discuss the start from José Berríos - how much does he still need to clean up before he's ready for the regular season? They also spend a chunk of time chatting about the roster battles at the bottom of the roster - who's on track to make the 26-man active roster by the end of the month? They get into both batters and pitchers, and make some picks midway through the spring session. 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.

Sho Alli and Jesse Rubinoff break down the Blue Jays' 5-4 Spring Training win over the Phillies in Dunedin! They take your texts, and get right to the monster home run from Bo Bichette - is he on track to get back to his previous self from before 2024? They discuss another home run from Daulton Varsho, a second straight great start from Max Scherzer, and the bullpen looking much better early on. Plus, what should the team do with Vladimir Guerrero 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.

Sho Alli and Nick Ashbourne break down the Blue Jays' 1-1 tie vs. the Braves in Spring Training action down in Florida! They discuss the bullpen day, and get to outings from both Brendon Little and Zach Pop - is Little a lock for the bullpen thanks to being a lefty? Is Pop facing an uphill battle to get into the team's plans for 2025? Plus, what could the year look like for Davis Schneider? Afterwards, they take a look back on the last few days of Spring Training, including getting into the debut of Max Scherzer as a Blue Jay. 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.

Roger Lajoie and Nick Ashbourne break down the Blue Jays' 8-7 win over the Red Sox during Spring Training action in Fort Myers! They take your calls and texts, and discuss Toronto’s six-run ninth-inning rally, Addison Barger’s hand injury scare and his status moving forward, and the ongoing debate over Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s future with the 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.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays failed to reach a contract extension - what now? Sho Alli chats with Sportsnet.ca's Nick Ashbourne (15:00) as they discuss the decision from both the player and team, if there is still a pathway for Vladdy to sign in free agency, what he means to the Blue Jays, and whether or not the team should consider trading the star first baseman at this stage. Afterwards, Sho reads your texts (39:59) on what should happen next and what number you would have considered paying Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to get a deal done. 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.

Pitchers and catchers have reported, and the Blue Jays are just a week away from their first in-game action of the spring campaign - joining Sho Alli live from Dunedin is MLB.com's Keegan Matheson (1:12), who is covering the team in Florida to start the year. They get into the contract status of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., including comments from GM Ross Atkins, and discuss a potential bounce-back season for Bo Bichette. Plus, they chat the idea of signing or trading for another bat, injury updates on Daulton Varsho, and surprising words from Atkins regarding Alan Roden. 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.

What's the latest on the Blue Jays offseason now that Max Scherzer's signing is official? Sho Alli takes a look at the latest news regarding the Alex Bregman sweepstakes - what's taking so long? Afterwards, Sho is joined by Jays Talk Plus host Blake Murphy (6:56), as the pair discuss the offseason to-date, how much it hinges on an extension for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the age of the starting rotation, and if Santander/Giménez is enough to make a difference on 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.

The Blue Jays make another addition, signing pitcher Max Scherzer in free agency to a one-year, $15.5 million deal, pending a physical. Sho Alli takes your calls and texts, and asks what letter grade the Jays now deserve following a relatively busy offseason - how high can that grade get without a second bat, or without a big extension for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.? Sportsnet's Nick Ashbourne (12:18) stops by to discuss the Scherzer signing - what's the threshold for success with the 40-year-old future Hall of Famer, and what does this do for Yariel Rodríguez in a potential move to the bullpen? Afterwards, Sho chats with MLB.com's Kennedi Landry (29:44), who covered Scherzer during his Rangers tenure - what kind of teammate is he, and how can it rub off on others? Plus, Sho gets into the latest news in the Pete Alonso sweepstakes - will he head north of the border to Toronto, or will he head back to Citi Field in Queens? 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.

Daniele Franceschi and Sho Alli return with a special edition of Jays Talk after Anthony Santander reportedly signs a five-year, $92.5 million deal. The guys start with their initial reactions to the deal, discuss the inclusion of deferred money and an opt-out, and consider if this move eases the pain of missing out on Rōki Sasaki. They also take your calls and texts, and discuss the possibilities of the Jays continuing to pursue additional free agents remaining in the market after today's move, including Pete Alonso - could he come to Toronto next? Plus, they chat about the report that Bo Bichette recently made the trip north to try and persuade Sasaki to sign - despite the result, does that bode well for Bo's future with the club? 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 joins Sho Alli on another offseason edition of Jays Talk to share some thoughts on what could happen with Roki Sasaki - are the Dodgers indeed the favourites to sign the Japanese superstar pitcher? They also get into Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s continued contract extensions - is the team negotiating a deal with him right now, and how should fans parse the variety of reports from Toronto and beyond? Plus, they discuss the best books baseball fans should read, and remember broadcasting great Bob Uecker, who passed away at the age of 90. 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.

On another offseason edition of Jays Talk, Sho Alli chats with MLB.com's Keegan Matheson (10:00) on his beloved Packers getting bounced by the Eagles in the NFL Playoffs, before turning to baseball - are there major injury concerns with Jeff Hoffman after two teams passed on him due to a failed physical? Afterwards, they get into the Roki Sasaki rumours that are everywhere - are there any truth to these rumours? Plus, a new tidbit from Ken Rosenthal has emerged about Shohei Ohtani - where was this a year ago? 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.

The Blue Jays have signed All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman to a three-year, $33 million deal as their first major move in free agency. Sho Alli and Roger Lajoie are joined by Sportsnet's Shi Davidi to discuss the signing, including how the bullpen is now re-ordered with his presence, whether or not he would want a role in the starting rotation, and his past as a Blue Jay draft pick. Plus, they get into the latest news on potential free agent bats, and discuss Vladimir Guerrero Jr. settling with the team to avoid an arbitration hearing. 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.

Sho Alli hosts a special offseason edition of Jays Talk to chat about the Toronto Blue Jays acquiring second baseman Andrés Giménez and reliever Nick Sandlin for Spencer Horwitz (ultimately ending up with the Pittsburgh Pirates) and minor-league outfielder Nick Mitchell before bringing on Jays' contributor Nick Ashbourne (4:36) to share his thoughts on the trade, how this affects Bo Bichette's future at shortstop, how Horwitz fits as the Pirates' potential first basemen of the future, and the next steps for Vladdy's contract. Then, Chris Rose (26:22) shares the scouting report on Giménez, what was behind the down trend in his offence since his All-Star nod back in 2022, how Bally Sports cutting ties to broadcast Guardians games affects the team's offseason, and a look at Toronto's uncertain future ahead. Plus, we hear from Ross Atkins, John Schneider, and Scott Boras, and he takes your texts at 590-590! 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 break down the final game of the 2024 Blue Jays season, a 3-1 loss to the Marlins that wraps up a series sweep, as the team ends the year with a 74-88 record. They take your calls and texts, and take a broader look at the season - now that it's officially in the rear-view, what will the first changes be for 2025? Will Ross Atkins and/or Mark Shapiro be back? What do fans want to hear from the front office? Plus, they discuss the roster and what major aspects need to change, and how the team can be competitive in the AL East. 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.