Blair & Barker

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker look back on the Blue Jays' 2-0 win in the rubber match over the Texas Rangers and discuss what worked and didn't work from the team's mixed-up lineup. Then, they look ahead to the Jays' series against the Athletics kicking off tonight and how Toronto's bats can attack the A's below-average pitching staff. Later, Jeff & Kevin go to the Back Leg Line to answer your calls and questions!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 welcome in ESPN senior writer David Schoenfield (3:15) to dissect the - through 100 games - MLB's best Detroit Tigers. He shares what's behind their jump this season, AJ Hinch's impact as manager, his impressions of the Blue Jays and the abundance of struggling teams across the American League. Then, Jeff & Kevin discuss the Tigers' 'what-if?' scenarios with Tarik Skubal trade rumours last season before reacting to the Jays' shaken-up lineup. Finally, Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman (26:19) discusses the mood in the clubhouse, how he's reclaimed confidence in his splitters & fastballs, the evolution of his view toward in-season adjustments and much 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 affiliates.

Jeff Blair and 2025 Virginia Tech Hall of Fame inductee Kevin Barker chat about receiving the news of the honour and his time playing for the Hokies, before getting into the Blue Jays shutout loss to the Texas Rangers. Then, Sportsnet 590 The FAN's Ben Shulman (30:50) stops by to share his expectations for Paxton Schultz as the opener for their third game against Texas, Chad Green's workload, reasons to shake up the batting order again, Jeff Hoffman's struggles and John Schneider's confidence with the closer. 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 welcome in Hall of Famer Chipper Jones (0:24) to discuss how Anthony Santander can snap his season-long slump, Ronald Acuña Jr.'s explosive return to the Braves lineup after his ACL tear, Atlanta's ceiling this season, and how he's preparing for his management duties at MLB's All-Star Futures Game. Later, Jeff and Kevin discuss whether Aaron Judge needs a ring to stand among MLB's all-time greats, what the Jays need to see from Bowden Francis against the Texas Rangers tonight, and the impact of mounting pressure on Santander.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 Kevin Gausman's 8-inning outing en route to a Blue Jays series-opening win against the Texas Rangers. They look at the scouting report on Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi before bringing in Sportsnet's Shi Davidi (17:21) to discuss Anthony Santander's place in the batting order, if Gausman will need to continue experimenting with his pitches, Bowden Francis' fastball, and why Brendon Little is the second-most important arm out of the bullpen. Then, former GM & MLB Network's Dan O'Dowd stops by (29:54) to share a front-office perspective on managing the lack of scoring opportunities, giving one player a contract while leaving another pending free agent without one, and Shohei Ohtani's desire to pitch again.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 welcome in Texas Rangers hitting coach Bret Boone (1:07) ahead of his side's series against the Blue Jays in Texas. He discusses his adjustment to the staff side of the game since getting hired earlier this month, what he's learned in his time with the team and his hitting-coach philosophy. Then, Jeff & Kevin get into the urgency for the Jays in this series and how they can top the premiere pitching in Texas. Later, Rangers analyst Evan Grant (28:15) sets the stage for the series and weighs in on why Texas' offence has dried up, what Boone brings to the clubhouse and Nathan Eovaldi's leadership for the 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 affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker kick off the pre-game edition with a look back on the Blue Jays' weekend series in Tampa where the Rays swept them in three games. They get into the unique conditions at Steinbrenner Field, the 4-pitch third inning on Sunday, the Jays' struggles against the fastball, Anthony Santander's health and what's behind the extended slumps at the top of the lineup. Later, Jays TV analyst Buck Martinez (27:50) reflects on the teams' play in Tampa this weekend before helping set the stage for their series against the Texas Rangers kicking off today.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, MLB insider with ESPN, joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to take a look around the majors including the Cardinals, Padres, Rockies, Mets, Braves, and of course, the Blue Jays! John Schneider (27:05), Manager of your Toronto Blue Jays, joins the guys to discuss the nuances of playing at George M. Steinbrenner Field this weekend. Skip shares an update on Andrés Giménez, Nick Sandlin, Max Scherzer, before getting into Nathan Lukes' walk-off hit, Jeff Hoffman's form of late, and the intricacies of pitching decisions. We wrap up this week on the program with today's listener question from Jim in Belleville, Ontario!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 back on the airwaves following MLSE President and CEO Keith Pelley's press conference. After sharing their takeaways, the boys dive into the Blue Jays' sweep of the San Diego Padres! They chat about the keys that lifted Toronto past the Friars, John Schneider's best-managed series of the season, what to make of Bo Bichette's 2025 at the plate, and Bowden Francis' identity as a starter. Later on, Marc Topkin (28:08) of the Tampa Bay Times checks in on the Rays ahead of their upcoming series against the Blue Jays. He shares the state of affairs at the team's temporary home at George M. Steinbrenner Field, who needs to step up offensively, the quality pieces in the bullpen, and the outlook for a new stadium.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.

Joe Siddall, former MLB catcher and current Sportsnet analyst, joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to break down the Blue Jays' complete 3-0 victory against the San Diego Padres. Joe dives into Anthony Santander's adjustments at the plate, the keys for Kevin Gausman ahead of tonight's start at Rogers Centre, and who makes the most sense to bat cleanup in Toronto. Later on, Jeff and Kevin open up the "Back Leg Line" to respond to your questions and comments!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.