Blue Jays Talk

Blake Murphy and Julia Kreuz open Friday's episode with thoughts on the Blue Jays' four-game sweep of the New York Yankees. The focus in on the key contributors in the series including George Springer performance mashing four home runs and the depth down the lineup stepping up. Jon Becker (30:28), analyst at FanGraphs, checks in on the MLB trade market and highlights the Jays' needs as the deadline steadily approaches. Tricia Whitaker (51:10), Apple TV+ Friday Night Baseball sideline reporter, shares her thoughts amidst Toronto's hot streak as they welcome the Angels to town. Rhett Bollinger (01:16:18) of MLB.com continues the conversation and discusses the state of the Halos as they prepare for their weekend clash 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.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 8-5 win over the Yankees to complete the four-game sweep as the Jays take sole possession of first place in the AL East! They take your calls and texts, and ask the question: is this surge by the team real? What makes you truly believe? Jeff and Kevin share their own thoughts on why this team is for real, and get to a ton from this game, including two Springer Dingers, Chris Bassitt allowing three earned runs over 113 pitches across 5.2 IP, Nathan Lukes winning a 14-pitch AB with a two-run double, and the bullpen holding it down for another 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.

Blake Murphy and Julia Kreuz open the show reacting to the Jays' wild win over the Yankees. They break down the red-hot offense led by Davis Schneider and Addison Barger, the team’s resilience, and a gutsy bullpen sequence with the game on the line. Later, Blue Jays prospect Juaron Watts-Brown (32:30) joins to discuss his breakout in Double-A, modeling his game after Max Scherzer, and refining a devastating slider. After the break, Sportsnet’s Dan Shulman (50:30) weighs in on the electric series, George Springer’s sustained success, and when (or when not) to walk Aaron Judge. Finally, ESPN’s Don La Greca (01:16:15) checks in on the Yankees and Mets ahead of the "Subway Series", the growing frustration in the Bronx, and the analytics discourse around their Bombers. 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 Blue Jays' 11-9 win over the Yankees to both take the series and move into a tie for first place atop the AL East! They take your calls and texts, and they get right to the eighth inning of a wild ballgame - was it the right move for John Schneider to walk Aaron Judge, despite his game-tying home run? They discuss contributions from Myles Straw, Andrés Giménez, George Springer and Davis Schneider (who had his first career multi-home run game). Plus, they chat about the lockdown work from Jeff Hoffman, the return of Yimi García, and José Berríos giving up all six earned runs in a single inning. 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 kick off Jays Talk Plus, discussing the Blue Jays' win over the Yankees, George Springer’s impressive two-homer game, and Max Fried's surprising outing. They are later joined by Lindsay Dunn and Whit Merrifield (26:43) to chat about their new podcast, The 6ix Inning Stretch, and Merrifield’s life post-retirement. Bob Kendrick (53:23), President of the Negro Leagues, shares insights on its history and remembers Dave Parker. Finally, Levi Weaver (1:16:26) from The Athletic analyzes the Texas Rangers' struggles with their 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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 12-5 win over the Yankees on Canada Day at the Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and get right to Captain Canada, George Springer, who notched seven RBI, including a grand slam - what's behind the resurgence for Springer in 2025? They discuss Andrés Giménez' three-run shot, the bullpen holding it down long enough to take a lead behind the Springer grand salami, and an uneven start for Kevin Gausman. 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 kick off Jays Talk Plus by discussing the Blue Jays’ victory over the New York Yankees in Game 1. They cover Max Scherzer’s standout performance, Jeff Hoffman’s solid close, and the current state of the bullpen. In the second half, they preview the Canada Day matchup between Kevin Gausman and Max Fried, speculating on Gausman’s ability to maintain his dominance and whether Fried will cool down (29:54). 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.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 5-4 win over the Yankees to open the four-game series in Toronto! They take your calls and texts, and discuss the all-around effort from the team - how important was this win in front of a raucous crow at the Rogers Centre? They get into contributions from Ernie Clement and Nathan Lukes, who continue to play well, and the eventual game-winning Vladimir Guerrero Jr. two-run single. Plus, they discuss injury concerns for Max Scherzer, George Springer, and Bo Bichette. 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 kick off Jays Talk Plus, reflecting on the Blue Jays' recent series win at Fenway Park and the significance of the upcoming matchup against the New York Yankees. They answer listener questions (29:22) before welcoming Keith McPherson (50:46) to discuss the state of the Yankees, Marcus Stroman's return, and expectations for the series. Finally, Eno Sarris (1:15:31) joins to analyze Tarik Skubal's impressive performance, potential Cy Young candidates, rookie pitchers on the brink of a breakout, and Max Scherzer's role for the rest of the 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 affiliate.

Sho Alli and Julia Kreuz break down the Blue Jays' 5-3 win over the Red Sox to win the rubber match in Boston, and finish the road trip 4-2! They take your calls and texts, and get right to the bullpen shutting down the Red Sox bats late in the game - how important was it for all of Brendon Little, Nick Sandlin, and Jeff Hoffman to show up in big moments, especially on the road? They discuss the biggest needs for the team at the trade deadline, Bo Bichette's contract status, and also get into Eric Lauer's 4.1 IP allowing three earned runs. Plus, with a four-game series vs. the Yankees starting tomorrow, is a 2-2 record acceptable or do the Jays need to go 3-1 with a big opportunity to gain some ground? 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' 15-1 loss vs. the Red Sox to even the series at one game apiece in Boston. They take your calls and texts, and get right to Chris Bassitt allowing eight earned runs (nine total) over 2.0+ IP of work - given his body of work, do you just throw that start out moving forward? They also discuss the struggles of Mason Fluharty - does he need a break, or does the bullpen at-large need a slight reinforcement? Plus, they look ahead to what Eric Lauer might provide in the series finale. 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 Blue Jays' 9-0 win over the Red Sox to open the three-game series in Boston! They take your calls and texts, and get right to José Berríos blanking the Red Sox over seven innings, allowing just four hits and one walk alongside eight strikeouts - after allowing just one unearned run across two straight starts, has Berríos found a groove? They discuss the late addition of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to the lineup, and also get into the continuing terrific play from both Alejandro Kirk and Ernie Clement. 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 recap the series win vs. the Guardians, including Kevin Gausman’s outing and getting production throughout the lineup. Chris Cotillo (30:58) previews the Boston Red Sox since Rafael Devers was traded. Scott Braun (50:37) pops by to talk Blue Jays and bounce around the MLB. Lastly, Buffalo Bisons outfielder RJ Schreck (1:15:38) discusses learning about getting traded to the Blue Jays, his golf game, the move from Double-A to Triple-A 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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-0 win over the Guardians to win the rubber match in Cleveland! They take your calls and texts as they get right to Kevin Gausman allowing just two hits, one walk and no runs over eight innings of work - how much does that help the bullpen with not many days off in the coming weeks? They get into Vladimir Guerrero Jr. being hit by a pitch in the forearm - is there any danger of him missing time vs. the Red Sox? Plus, they discuss Alejandro Kirk continuing to look good, and with the season (almost) half over, they hand out some letter grades to 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.

Julia Kreuz and Sho Alli kick off Jays Talk Plus, discussing Max Scherzer’s first outing back on the mound and whether his start was a promising look for the rest of the season. They are then joined by Keegan Matheson (26:22) to dissect Scherzer’s outing, whether his thumb injury can hold up and whether Vladimir Guerrero Jr. can tap into his power heading into the midway point of the season. Later, Jon Morosi (50:24) joins the show to discuss Jacob DeGrom’s almost no-hitter and which teams should go for it at the trade deadline. Finally, Cade Smith (1:23:12) from the Cleveland Guardians joins Julia and Sho to discuss pitching in different roles, his relationship with his former Guardians teammates and playing in the World Baseball Classic. 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.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 5-4 walk-off loss vs. the Guardians in extra innings to even this series in Cleveland. They take your calls and texts, and discuss the bunt play in extra innings prior to the José Ramírez RBI single to win it for the Guardians - what happened with the infield alignment on the bunt? They also get to Max Scherzer allowing three earned runs over five innings of work - two thumbs up for what was just Scherzer's second start of the year? Plus, they discuss the offence, including a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. bomb in the top of the fourth inning. 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 recap the Blue Jays’ win over the Guardians, where the bullpen struggled, Eric Lauer continued to impress, and the bats were alive. Arden Zwelling (30:37) joins from Cleveland to preview Max Scherzer’s start and Lauer’s journey to becoming the pitcher he is today. Paul Sporer (52:06) recaps Chase Burns’ electric debut and previews Paul Skenes vs. Jacob Misiorwski today. Lastly, Doug Fox (1:14:12) discusses his chat with Joe Sclafani, Blue Jays director of player development, and gives his thoughts on Tucker Toman, Cutter Coffey, Orelvis Martinez and other Blue Jays prospects. 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.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 10-6 win over the Guardians to open the three-game series in Cleveland! They take your calls and texts, and get right to the offence producing 10 runs on 14 hits - including a George Springer grand slam - is this something that we'll continue to see during these next ten games? They also get into Eric Lauer allowing one run over 5.1 IP - has he permanently earned that fifth rotation spot? Plus, they discuss the bullpen usage - could that bite them with Max Scherzer up on Wednesday? 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 are joined by Ben Nicholson-Smith to discuss the starting rotation and other questions for the Blue Jays as the Trade Deadline nears. Xavier Scruggs (25:50) discusses his interview with Wade Boggs, playing baseball in Korea, hitting humans with chairs at Fanatics Fest and the Blue Jays. Matt Sussman (50:29) talks about the surging Detroit Tigers and if the Rockies can reach historic levels of awful. 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 recap the weekend series vs. the White Sox and how things unravelled for Jeff Hoffman on Sunday. They also take your texts regarding the chances Toronto can win the AL East and the state of the starting rotation (30:51). Jeremy Maschino joins (51:06) to discuss his Pitch Profiler database, why Brendan Little’s stuff works and whether he sees anything concerning in the numbers of Hoffman’s recent outings. Lastly. Jake Mintz (1:14:51) recaps the College World Series and prospects to watch for in the MLB Draft. 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.