Baseball Central @ Noon

USA Today's Bob Nightengale discusses if the Padres are now equipped to take on the Dodgers post-deadline, his read on the Blue Jays' moves and what he would have liked to see them do, the Cubs standing pat, and the Yankees' shopping spree (02:56). Jeff and Kevin also react to the breaking news of Ross Stripling hitting the IL and fit in another edition of Barker's Back Leg Bits before the break (17:50). To wrap up, radio play-by-play voice Ben Wagner previews today's Jays-Rays matchup and talks about Danny Jansen's work with Yusei Kikuchi and how players in the Jays' clubhouse felt about the deadline (31:21). 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 show celebrating legendary MLB play-by-play broadcaster Vin Scully who passed away at the age of 94, before turning their attention to the Toronto Blue Jays and MLB's trade deadline. The guys break down the Blue Jays' acquisitions of Whit Merrifield, Anthony Bass, Zach Pop, and Mitch White, the prices paid by teams around the Majors, and Toronto's 3-1 win over Tampa Bay thanks to a strong start from Kevin Gausman. Later on, Royals broadcaster Jeff Montgomery joins Blair and Barker to explain what two-time All-Star Merrifield will bring to the Blue Jays (35:45). 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.

Yankees reporter Sweeny Murti discusses the moves made by Brian Cashman ahead of the deadline including adding Andrew Benintendi and Frankie Montas, and looks ahead to project if he's expecting more before 6pm ET (01:11). Orioles reporter Roch Kubatko shares his thoughts on Jorge Lopez' departure, the return the Orioles got for Trey Mancini, and the availability of Cedric Mullins (16:00). After the break, Rays TV analyst Brian Anderson previews the two-game series with the Blue Jays and speculates on what else Tampa might be up to after acquiring David Peralta (26:53). To end the show, Jeff and Kevin react to the breaking news reports that Juan Soto is being traded to the San Diego Padres. 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 latest moves around MLB on the day of the trade deadline, notably the moves made by their rivals in the AL East. Sportsnet's Shi Davidi checks-in from Tampa Bay with what the Blue Jays are up to: their reported interest in Noah Syndergaard, if their preference is to trade for players who are free agents at the end of the season, and being runners-up to the Yankees in the Frankie Montas sweepstakes (26:08). Later on, WEEI's Rob Bradford comments on the Red Sox both buying and selling so far (36:10), before the guys react to Orioles' closer Jorge Lopez being dealt to Minnesota. 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.

MLB Network insider Jon Morosi joins Blair & Barker in-studio for the full hour to discuss the latest around MLB's rumour mill ahead of the deadline. Jon talks about the pursuits of Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani, if the Blue Jays are involved in those talks at any level, the availability of the Tigers' arms, and if the Blue Jays would trade anyone from their major-league roster (00:07). Morosi sticks around to answer fan questions during "Barker's Back Leg Bits" including how he viewed Toronto's decision to move on from Charlie Montoyo as manager (29:29). 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.

The Blue Jays take three of four in their extended weekend series against Detroit as the trade deadline looms. Jeff and Kevin talk about Jose Berrios' outing, how the lineup is affected when George Springer isn't leading off, and how certain members of the Tigers' bullpen would look good in a Blue Jays uniform after seeing them first-hand. Later on, the guys examine how the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, and Orioles fared over the weekend in the latest edition of "In the East” (29:15). 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.

Blue Jays analyst and former catcher Caleb Joseph comments on what he saw out of Yusei Kikuchi on Thursday, Danny Jansen’s influence on the game from behind the plate, and what could happen between now and the trade deadline for the team (04:46). Later on, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers discusses the trade markets for Ian Happ and David Robertson, his read on the Juan Soto sweepstakes, and looks into how the Cubs and Blue Jays have scouted each other at the minor-league level (29:36). Jeff and Kevin wonder if the Giants’ Joc Pederson could be a player of interest to the Blue Jays in latest edition of Barker’s Back Leg Bits (39:58). 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.

Jeff Blair & Kevin Barker recap Toronto’s 5-3 win over the Detroit Tigers, a game with no shortage of storylines. The guys delve into Matt Chapman staying hot at the plate with two home runs, George Springer’s elbow, Yusei Kikuchi earning the win, and the level of confidence in him going forward. Tigers TV analyst Craig Monroe shares a scouting report on the Tigers’ bullpen with relievers like Gregory Soto, Joe Jiménez, and Alex Lange in-demand ahead of MLB’s trade deadline (34:30). 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.

Blue Jays pitcher Ross Stripling talks about the mood in the Blue Jays clubhouse ahead of the trade deadline, Adam Wainwright’s performance last night, and his work with Pete Walker and bullpen coach Matt Buschmann (01:44). Later on, Yankees radio broadcaster Suzyn Waldman discusses the Yankees’ trade for Andrew Benintendi, why she believes Luis Castillo is New York’s number one target, and reflects on being selected for induction into the Radio Hall of Fame (29:03). To wrap up, Blair corrects Barker's memory, and Edwin Diaz’s walk-out music dominates the latest installment of Barker’s Back Leg Bits (41:45). 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.

Albert Pujols and Adam Wainwright provided vintage performances to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1 at Rogers Centre and split their mini two-game series. Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss the game, particularly John Schneider’s decision to take Kevin Gausman out in the fourth inning. Afterwards, the guys discuss Andrew Benintendi being traded from the Royals to the Yankees and how interested the Blue Jays might have been in his services, before welcoming in former catcher and current MLB Network analyst Anthony Recker to add to the conversation (28:15). 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.

ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian returns to Blair and Barker to reflect on Hall of Fame weekend in Cooperstown where he was honoured with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award. He also comments on why now is the best time for the Nationals to trade Juan Soto, and the predicament the Boston Red Sox find themselves in following their recent stretch and the unknown futures of Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts (03:39). The guys then focus in on Jeff Passan’s latest report on the Blue Jays being amongst the teams interested in starting pitchers Luis Castillo and Frankie Montas; and discuss Carlos Rodon’s bat-kicking incident in Barker’s Back Leg Bits (26:27). 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 recap Toronto’s 10-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals as the team’s recent offensive surge continues. They also discuss the likelihood of Yusei Kikuchi starting Thursday's game against the Detroit Tigers following his strong stint in AAA with the Buffalo Bisons. Sportsnet’s Buck Martinez returns to the show following his homecoming at the broadcast booth last night to share his thoughts on Toronto’s needs at the trade deadline and Alek Manoah’s workload down the stretch (30:16). 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.

Jeff and Kevin talk about Yusei Kikuchi being named Buffalo Bisons Player of the Week and when he might re-join the Blue Jays (06:23). MLB insider Jeff Passan shares what he’s hearing ahead of the deadline, which pitchers might make sense for the Blue Jays and other contenders and his read on the Juan Soto sweepstakes (11:38). In the latest edition of Barker’s Back Leg Bits, Jeff and Kevin answer your questions including weighing-in on Nick Castellanos’ exchange with Phillies’ beat reporter Jim Salisbury (36:26). 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 looking at the American league standings after an off-day for the Blue Jays and key-in on the recent injuries to the Rays (Kevin Kiermaier, Mike Zunino), Red Sox (Chris Sale), and Yankees (Michael King). Afterwards, the guys are joined by Cardinals reporter Derrick Goold to preview the Toronto-St. Louis series and discuss the team's missing pieces Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado for the series and how interested St. Louis is in Juan Soto’s services at the trade deadline (24:51). 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.

Blue Jays play-by-play voice Dan Shulman shares his thoughts on the Blue Jays' impressive series at Fenway Park, how Boston's trade deadline strategy was impacted, Xander Bogaerts’ contract status, and Matt Chapman’s production over the last several weeks (10:42). World Series champion and MLB analyst Ryan Dempster talks about Boston’s recent struggles and Alek Manoah’s competitiveness on the mound, before looking back on playing alongside David Ortiz and why he is deserving of his first ballot induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame (27:53). 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 Toronto Blue Jays find themselves ten games over .500 after sweeping the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park! Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker re-visit the series and discuss Toronto’s offensive output in their 28-5 win on Friday, John Schneider’s conversation with Alek Manoah, and the bullpen usage after Ross Stripling pitched four innings in his start. The guys listen to comments from Red Sox skipper Alex Cora and examine how the Yankees, Rays, and Orioles fared over the weekend in the latest installment of “In the East” (27:48). 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.

MLB insider Jon Morosi joins Blair and Barker to sort through the latest on Juan Soto and question if the Jays should mortgage the farm to get him, before looking into Shohei Ohtani's market price and sharing his takeaways from the 2022 All-Star festivities (02:08). Later on, Blue Jays insider Shi Davidi adds to the All-Star conversation discussing the vibe in L.A. this past week and if the Juan Soto rumours overshadowed the event, before sharing where the Blue Jays currently stand as they approach the trade deadline (26:26). Finally, the boys welcome everyone back with an edition of Barkers’s Back Leg Bits (40:29)! 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.

Blair & Barker are back and raring to go! They kick off today’s show discussing the trade rumours surrounding Juan Soto that dominated the All-Star break, and question if the Jays should make a push for him and what they would need to give up in return. They then pivot to debate Toronto's most glaring need ahead of the trade deadline, before heading to the phonelines to answer all of your calls and questions (25:22)! 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.

Blair and Barker kick off the final hour with former Blue Jays catcher Caleb Joseph, who shares his thoughts on Charlie Montoyo's dismissal, what led to the change at the helm, and his personal experience in the Jays' clubhouse (03:21). Later on, interim manager of the Toronto Blue Jays John Schneider joins the show to talk about his excitement to manage the club, the changes he'd like to implement, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s season so far, his philosophy managing a team and what fans can expect moving forward (25:23). Finally, the guys send you off into the All-Star break with an edition of Barker Back Leg Bits (41:47)! 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 final edition of Blair & Barker before the All-Star break, the guys break down the Blue Jays' uninspiring loss to the Kansas City Royals. The fellas question why the offense has gone silent, if the shake-up in the batting order in enough to spark some life, and the longevity of Alejandro Kirk's continued excellence. They are then joined by Jim Callis, senior writer for MLB Pipeline, to preview the MLB Draft this weekend including who we can expect to see off the board first, some of the major storylines leading up to the event, and what's on tap for the Blue Jays with the 23rd overall pick (31:57). 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.