Baseball Central @ Noon

Sportsnet’s Dan Shulman discusses the Blue Jays’ recent stretch of play, their standing in the Wild Card race, teams like Cleveland and Baltimore playing with house money, Orioles’ standout rookie Adley Rutschman, and if Yusei Kikuchi will be making his next scheduled start (03:59). Later on, Calgary native and Atlanta Braves’ pitcher Mike Soroka talks about his return to the mound in an impressive rehab start where he struck out eight batters in four innings (26:20). To wrap up, Jeff and Kevin examine Bo Bichette’s numbers against left-handed pitching in the latest edition of “Barker’s Back Leg Bits” (40:48). 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 could not right the ship on Tuesday night against the Orioles as their struggles continued in a 4-2 loss at Rogers Centre. Jeff and Kevin concentrate on Alek Manoah’s outing and Bo Bichette being dropped to seventh in the batting order as the Blue Jays can fall out of a playoff spot with another loss on Wednesday against Baltimore. MLB Network Radio’s C.J. Nitkowski chimes in on Fernando Tatis Jr.’s suspension, the Braves and Mets going toe-to-toe in the NL East, and what he is noticing from José Berríos this season (32:29). 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 and Kevin discuss the Blue Jays’ record at this point in the season, and the expectations that were put on them in the spring (1:00). New Blue Jays’ outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. discusses his decision to sign with the team, the impressions of the Blue Jays from the outside looking in, and his experience playing in the American League East (25:00). In ‘Barker’s Back Leg Bits’, the guys re-visit Fernando Tatis Jr.’s PED suspension, how his excuse did him no favours compared to others who have been busted, and if they’re noticing anything different from Danny Jansen’s approach at the plate (35:00).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 & Kevin Barker recap the Blue Jays’ latest effort vs. the Baltimore Orioles – a 7-3 loss where Yusei Kikuchi’s struggles continued and manager John Schneider said all options are on the table when it comes to the left-hander. Former major-league pitcher and Orioles bullpen coach Darren Holmes talks about the Orioles’ “Animal Kingdom” and the importance of having velocity in the 'pen with the Orioles now only 1.5 games back of the Blue Jays (30:00).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.

Sportsnet’s Buck Martinez comments on the Blue Jays’ recent play, the location of José Berríos’ fastball, and if he expects George Springer to return to the lead off spot tonight after nursing his troublesome elbow (03:39). Later on, former Orioles & Blue Jays shortstop Mike Bordick previews the latest series between the AL East rivals and focuses in on Brandon Hyde's impact managing the club in Baltimore (25:44). In Barker’s Back Leg Bits, Jeff & Kevin concentrate on the Blue Jays’ bullpen to question if a Ken Giles reunion could help Toronto's postseason push, and share the latest on Julian Merryweather's injury rehab (39:00). 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 series loss to the Guardians – a three-game set where Toronto’s bats went silent and Cleveland was able to find success against José Berríos and Kevin Gausman. As always on Monday, the guys examine how the Blue Jays’ divisional opponents fared over the weekend in “In The East” (29:39); before commenting on the news that shook the baseball world over the weekend: Padres’ star Fernando Tatis Jr. being suspended 80 games for PED use (42:05). 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.

Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi joins Blair and Barker to discuss some Blue Jays topics including his latest column on John Schneider, George Springer’s troublesome elbow, and Yusei Kikuchi’s role going forward with the ball club (03:44). Later on, Tom Hamilton, the voice of The Guardians, previews this weekend's series from a Cleveland perspective and touches on the job Terry Francona has done as Manager, reliever James Karinchak not making the trip, Steven Kwan’s standout season, and Mississauga’s Josh Naylor working his way back from injury (28:43). 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 with their thoughts on the Field of Dreams game between the Cubs and Reds last night, before turning their attention to the Blue Jays and their weekend series against the Guardians; mainly who will follow José Berríos in the starting rotation. MLB Network analyst and host of “The Mayor’s Office” Sean Casey talks about his experience in Iowa at the Field of Dreams, Bo Bichette’s approach at the plate, and who he thinks is most likely to make the postseason in the AL Central (31:11). 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 and Kevin open up the phone lines on the Blue Jays’ off-day as listeners weigh-in with their confidence level in the team after a pair of losses to Baltimore. The guys take calls on a variety of Blue Jays topics including: the competition in the American League for wild card spots, Alejandro Kirk, and if Yusei Kikuchi should be a mainstay in the bullpen (04:59). Later on, MLB on TBS analyst Jeff Francoeur discusses the Red Sox' problems with their pitching staff, if the Braves have a legitimate shot to repeat as champions, how the Mets continue to impress, and Austin Riley and Dansby Swanson taking over as leaders from the Freddie Freeman era in Atlanta (30:08). In “Barker’s Back Leg Bits”, Jeff and Kevin solicit questions and determine which game José Berríos should start in a potential wild card series (42:32). 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.

After the Blue Jays and Orioles got rained out, Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker agree that Toronto will have their hands full with the Cleveland Guardians this weekend. The guys talk about the delay that caused José Berríos to make his next start at home and the makeup of the Blue Jays’ starting rotation with Ross Stripling making a rehab start on Friday with the Buffalo Bisons. MLB insider Jeff “Jeffy” Passan shares how the Juan Soto trade came to be, which teams were involved in those talks, and reflects on Soto betting on himself by turning down the Nationals' contract offer. Later, the trio discuss the contract statuses of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette and if the Blue Jays can afford to sign them both to long-term extensions (27:10) 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.

Sportsnet’s Dan Shulman talks about Rougned Odor playing the villain last night, José Berríos starting the series finale, his performance on the road this season, Yusei Kikuchi’s place in the rotation when Ross Stripling returns, Bo Bichette’s big game at the plate and his ability to tune out the outside noise (01:13). Finally, Alek Manoah and the future of Teoscar Hernandez dominate the discussion in the latest edition of “Barker’s Back Leg Bits” (29:11). 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 discuss the Orioles' 6-5 win over the Blue Jays and focus on Rougned Odor’s homerun against Yimi Garcia and what could have been done differently during the at-bat. Later on, CBS Sports analyst David Samson goes around the Majors discussing the Padres, Orioles and more, before turning his attention to Toronto’s record against teams over .500 and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s season to date (26:14). 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 and Kevin go around the Majors with MLB Network analyst and former GM Dan O’Dowd! They touch on the Padres’ big trades, how they match up against the Dodgers, how close he thinks the Orioles are to contending, the impact of the Yankees’ Jordan Montgomery trade, and how to manage underperforming players committed to major contracts (00:50). Later on, Orioles analyst and former first overall pick Ben McDonald shares his view on the Orioles-Blue Jays series, Adley Rutschman living up to the hype, and playing at Camden Yards in the sweltering heat (30:44). 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 discuss the Blue Jays' 7-4 loss to Baltimore – another game where Yusei Kikuchi’s inconsistency was on display. The guys focus in on Kikuchi’s start and look ahead to Alek Manoah’s task tonight as he attempts to get Toronto back in the win column. Blue Jays Interim Manager John Schneider checks-in from Baltimore to discuss Kikuchi’s start, if he sees any signs of a turnaround, José Berríos' performance away from Rogers Centre, shuffling up the batting order, Mitch White’s debut, and opposing pitchers making adjustments to attack the Blue Jays' hitters (25:46). 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 the back nine, The Athletic's Dan Connolly joins Jeff and Kevin to discuss how the Orioles became one of the biggest surprises of the MLB season. He zeroes in on what's been the key to their success, how high this team's ceiling is, and the impact Brandon Hyde has had on the team (04:35). Later on, the guys take a closer look 'In The East' at what was a tough weekend for the Yankees, a Rays team that won’t say die, Jarren Duran’s continued struggles, and the Orioles finding themselves in a similar spot to the Blue Jays (24:06). They close the show answering your questions on Barker’s Back Leg Bits including the ideal playoff rotation and who should start behind the plate in the post-season (35:12). 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.

In the first hour, Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker recap everything from this weekend's Blue Jays-Twins series including the controversial call at home plate, Kevin Gausman's impressive start on Sunday, and what they saw from Mitch White, before reflecting on who the best Blue Jays position player has been this season. The guys are then briefly joined by former catcher and Sportsnet analyst Caleb Joseph (28:18) to share his interpretation of the play at the plate, before Sportsnet's Joe Siddall (38:24) adds to the conversations to clear up any lingering confusion surrounding 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.

The Athletic's Jayson Stark comments on Shohei Ohtani's future, his importance financially to the Angels, the Braves' locking up their core players, and how the baseball world perceived the Blue Jays' moves and Milwaukee's decision to trade closer Josh Hader (01:55). To wrap up, Jeff and Kevin delve into the job John Schneider has done so far and his communication with players in this week's final edition of 'Barker's Back Leg Bits’ (32:09). 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 start off discussing Whit Merrifield being able to join the Blue Jays in Toronto right away, John Schneider not being afraid to shuffle the batting order, and Alek Manoah's performance in Toronto's 9-3 win over Minnesota. Afterwards, Twins' Senior Vice President and General Manager Thad Levine re-joins the show with his read on MLB's trade deadline, how deals evolve after months of lead up, and the dogfight in the American League Central (26:58). 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.

Padres radio analyst Tony Gwynn Jr. discusses the impact of San Diego's new-look lineup with Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Brandon Drury after beating the Rockies 9-1. He also comments on Fernando Tatis Jr.'s upcoming rehab assignment and why Dinelson Lamet didn't work out with the club (03:17). Later on, MLB insider Jeff Passan sorts through the deals that didn't get done on deadline day, what scouts are saying about the Blue Jays-Marlins trade involving Jordan Groshans, if he thinks Toronto could have done more, and why the Tigers held on to their relievers (35:05).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 Toronto's 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, specifically Yusei Kikuchi's mechanics after lasting only four innings. They also discuss what they're seeing with Bo Bichette at the plate and if it's time for a change in the Blue Jays' batting order. In 'Barker's Back Leg Bits', Jeff and Kevin continue the conversation on Bichette and question if Jackie Bradley Jr. and Dinelson Lamet should peak Toronto's interest after being designated for assignment by the Red Sox and Brewers respectively (29:16).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.