Blair & Barker

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker open the show with thoughts on the Blue Jays final moves to set their 26-man roster. Hunter Pence (07:20), two-time World Series champion and Giants analyst, sets the stage ahead of tonight's first MLB game of the season between the Yankees and Giants! The boys chat about the outlook for the Bronx Bombers this season, the misconception with how San Francisco will call pitches this season, and what to expect before first pitch. David Forst (27:38), Athletics General Manager, shares how his team's mentality has changed heading into this season. David outlines the A's opportunity to contend in the American League West, the names on the roster to watch out for, and the club's first series of the year in Toronto. 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 are joined by former MLB pitcher and current Orioles analyst Ben McDonald (5:44) to chat about the excitement of a competitive AL East, the biggest addition during the offseason for Baltimore, what sets apart Pete Alonso from the rest of the great hitters of the game, if we can see a bounce back year from Adley Rutschman, and the state of the Orioles' bullpen arms after their starters. Then, former MLB outfielder and newest MLB Network analyst Kevin Kiermaier joins the guys (28:18) to discuss which teams in the AL East has the most pressure heading into the new year, if a team like the Blue Jays can replicate a 'ball in play' approach two seasons in a row, Kevin Gausman's legacy, how Vlad Jr. will approach the season without Bo Bichette and vice versa, and his early thoughts on ABS.  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 ahead to Blue Jays Opening Day! Barker shares what it's like for players on the fringes of a 26-man roster and reflects on his own training camp experiences. The boys also dive into John Schneider's choices to bat second in the Jays order, Cody Ponce's outlook this season, and Josh Kasevich's upside. Dan Shulman (26:52), Blue Jays play-by-play voice, joins the conversation to discuss what can separate Toronto from the pack heading into 2026. They trio take a closer look at Max Scherzer's scoreless spring training, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s soaring confidence, expectations for Kazuma Okamoto and Dylan Cease, Jeff Hoffman's status, and Brendon Little's opportunity to bounce back. 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.

Caleb Joseph, former MLB catcher and Blue Jays analyst, breaks down the Jays’ roster, bullpen roles, pitch-catcher dynamics, and player development. Rob Bradford, Red Sox reporter and podcast host, assesses Boston’s place in the AL East, defensive upgrades, rotation workload, and trade/roster questions. Multiple short takes on Vladdy, Varsho, Dylan Cease, Roman Anthony, and Alex Cora’s job security.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker open the week by reacting to the Blue Jays extending GM Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider. Sportsnet insider Ben Nicholson-Smith joins them (4:30) to share his thoughts on the extensions, the plan for Jesús Sánchez, Leo Jimenez's chances at cracking the Opening Day roster, the battle for the final reliever spot, what to expect from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. following a breakout postseason run, Dylan Cease's ceiling, and much more. Later, David Samson, host of Nothing Personal and former MLB President, stops by (28:50) to discuss Cristopher Sanchez's extension with the Phillies, why MLB seems set for a work stoppage in 2027, Tarik Skubal's future in Detroit, and the state of the game after the success of 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 affiliates.

Jeff Blair kicks off Friday's show setting up the Blue Jays' spring training clash against the Twins with Kevin Barker live from Dundein, Florida. They look back on yesterday's 11-0 drubbing of the Yankees highlighted by Cody Ponce's scoreless 5.2 innings of work and yet another long ball off the bat of Daulton Varsho. The boys also chat about Kazuma Okamoto's play at third base, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s streak of not striking out, and the battle for the final roster spots. Next, Jonathan Mayo (31:12) of MLB Pipeline breaks down how the Blue Jays' prospect system has climbed the ranks from 2025 to 2026, highlights the young stars to keep an eye on, and projects a new dynamic duo on the rise. 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 Passan, ESPN MLB insider known for labor and baseball coverage. He discusses how the World Baseball Classic’s momentum could shape MLB labor talks. Conversation covers the WBC’s cultural impact and growth. They also examine strategic IL decisions for starters and expectations for Gerrit Cole returning from Tommy John.

Jeff Blair kicks off today's show celebrating Venezuela's World Baseball Classic victory over Team USA. Kevin Barker joins the conversation live from Dunedin, Florida to weigh in the success of the WBC, before sharing the latest news from Blue Jays training camp. Barker updates us on the timeline for José Berríos after doctors discovered a stress fracture in his elbow, how the rotation is structured heading into the final games of the spring, expectation for Kazuma Okamoto in Toronto, and more ahead of this afternoon's game against the Orioles. After the break, ESPN's Tim Kurkjian (27:56) shares why he believes the Blue Jays will be better during the regular season in this season compared to 2025. Tim also chat about the mentality of the group, the most eye-catching stories of spring training, the Orioles' outlook in 2026, and the excitement of the WBC. 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 opens today's show chatting with Kevin Barker live from TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida. The boys set the stage for tonight's World Baseball Classic final between Team USA and Venezuela and debate who has the edge ahead of first pitch. Barker shares the latest Blue Jays news including how the rotation might be structured to start the season, the unknowns of Cody Ponce, how the team plans to roll out Trey Yesavage, what we know ahead of José Berríos' visit to Dr. Keith Meister, and who's in the bullpen mix. Later, Blue Jays radio play-by-play voice Ben Shulman (33:03) stops by to discuss what to watch for in the final ten days before Opening Day in Toronto. Ben highlights the depth in the organization, looks into Arjun Nimmala's outlook in 2026, and previews tonight's WBC final. 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.

Kevin Barker re-joins Jeff Blair from sunny Dunedin, Florida to chat about last weekend's World Baseball Classic action. They outline how Team USA paved their way to the finals, the controversial call to end the Dominican Republic's tournament run, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s explosive play. Kevin then shares the latest from Blue Jays spring training including Max Scherzer's strong start, how the rotation is shaping up with less than two weeks until Opening Day, and Daulton Varsho's strides made at the plate early on. After the break, Jeff shares his biggest takeaways from WBC so far, before Sportsnet's Shi Davidi (28:08) joins the conversation. He chats about the buy-in from players in this year's tournament, why the Automated Ball-Strike system was not implemented, and the impact of Team Canada's run. 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.