The Star

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Channel • 11 Shows

Automotive

Automotive

Weekly series
Baseball

Baseball

Updated weekly
News

News

Updated daily
Politics

Politics

Every two months
Earth Sciences

Earth Sciences

Updated weekly
Investing

Investing

Updated weekly
Investing

Investing

Updated weekly

3 DAYS AGO

Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Tyler Heineman discuss their roles on this Blue Jays team where everyone plays a big part

Guests: Blue Jays infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa, catcher Tyler Heineman The Blue Jays had a rare losing week, but still carried a three-game lead in the American League East into Thursday's rubber match against the AL West-leading Houston Astros. Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Tyler Heineman both played huge roles in the Jays securing the first game of the series, and they both join us this week in Deep Left Field. Kiner-Falefa, signed to a two-year deal before last season, traded to Pittsburgh at the 2024 trade deadline and re-acquired on waivers just before the September 1 playoff eligibility deadline, talks about how he fell in love with Toronto years ago and how happy he is to be rejoining the team for the stretch drive. With Bo Bichette sidelined with a knee injury, IKF is going to play a greater role than anticipated and he discusses that, as well as how much he loves hitting in Toronto. Heineman couldn't have picked a better time to have a career year. As Alejandro Kirk's back-up, he is currently posting career highs in batting average, slugging percentage, home runs and even stolen bases. He's also throwing out base stealers at a higher rate than he ever has before. Tuesday night he picked up the first walk-off of his career. All that plus a look back at The Week That Was and your emails on Episode 278 of Deep Left Field!

3 days ago

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59 min
4 SEPT

The pennant race is in full swing. We talk to Jays home run leader George Springer, plus the Mets John Gibbons and Canada's own Jonah Tong

Guests: Blue Jays home run leader George Springer, New York Mets bench coach John Gibbons and starting pitcher Jonah Tong September is upon us and the tension of the pennant race has ratcheted up. George Springer knows all about it, having played on three straight division winners with the Houston Astros and he is off to a tremendous September start, with three home runs and a 2.031 OPS to begin the month. Having moved into second place in the American League in OPS, behind only the Yankees' Aaron Judge, Springer joins us to talk about his incredible resurgence this season and what the Jays need to do down the stretch to take the division crown. John Gibbons was the Jays' manager the last time the team won the AL East, in 2015, and the current bench coach of the New York Mets, who hold the final wild card spot in the National League. We chat with Gibby about his memories of the Jays' great run when he was at the helm, as well as some of the challenges facing the current team. As always, Gibby is the best. Finally, Jonah Tong makes his first appearance in Deep Left Field. The 22-year-old Markham, Ontario native began his career with a win in his major league debut on August 29. The former Toronto Met who was the 75th-best prospect in the game going into this season according to Baseball Prospectus, made a meteoric rise through the New York Mets' system this year, posting a 1.43 ERA in 22 starts at Double-A and Triple-A combined with 179 strikeouts in just 113 2/3 innings. Listen here now or at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts Thursday afternoon. If you would like to support the journalism of the Toronto Star, you can at thestar.com/subscribingmatters.

4 Sept

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1h 4m
28 AUG

Max Scherzer discusses his comeback from injury, Davis Schneider talks his turnaround and Tommy Nance discusses career path

Guests: Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer, left fielder Davis Schneider, reliever Tommy Nance The Blue Jays are getting set for a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers, who have the best record in MLB, and they'll go into it just half a game behind the Detroit Tigers for the best record in the American League. Bullpen questions abound, and we discuss those on this episode of Deep Left Field, and also welcome Max Scherzer to the podcast for the first time. The 41-year-old, Cooperstown-bound starting pitcher is showing glimpses of the pitcher who won three Cy Young awards every time out and we discuss his comeback from three months missed with a thumb injury. We also try to get him to compare this Jays team to the three teams he's played on that have been to the World Series, but he's not looking past his next start. Davis Schneider homered twice Wednesday night and has been red-hot in the month of August, batting .341 with an 1.123 OPS. He joins the show to talk about his turnaround and to sing the praises of his roommate, Ernie Clement, and of Joey Loperfido, who is likely to move back in with them shortly. And 34-year-old Tommy Nance, who has a 0.90 ERA out of the bullpen in 17 appearances, discusses his long and winding path to the big leagues, his flourishing in his role with the Jays and how excited he is to be part of a September pennant push for the first time in his career.

28 Aug

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1h 5m
29 AUG

Are financial landlords reshaping Toronto's rental market and driving evictions?

Guest: Manuela Vega, Toronto Star housing reporter A new study has found that financial landlords are filing eviction applications at much higher rates than other types of landlords in Toronto, especially after acquiring new buildings. In one case, more than half the tenants in a building received an eviction notice in a single year. Experts say this reflects a wider business strategy and it’s reshaping the rental market, raising concerns about affordability, and who gets access to housing in this city. On today’s episode, we unpack the numbers, what the study reveals and its implications. This episode was produced by Paulo Marques

29 Aug

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17 min
22 AUG

Record enrolment, shrinking budgets. Why the math doesn't add up for Ontario universities

Guest: Kris Rushowy, Toronto Star reporter It’s back-to-school season and Ontario universities are packed like never before. A record number of more than 84,000 first-year students are starting this fall. But even with record enrolment, schools are facing an $80 million shortfall. For years, international students have been the financial safety net, paying up to six times the tuition of Ontario students. Now, with Ottawa tightening immigration rules and visas harder to get, those numbers are dropping. Universities say the system is already in distress. Programs are being cut, staff laid off, and almost half are running deficits. And now, with higher demand from local students, there is even less money to teach them. Produced by Saba Eitizaz, Sean Pattenden and Paulo Marques

22 Aug

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16 min
19 AUG

Young, qualified and still jobless in Toronto

Listen here or subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts. If you would like to support the journalism of the Toronto Star, you can at thestar.com/subscribe. Guest: Nathan Bawaan, Toronto Star reporter Youth unemployment in Toronto is at its highest level in decades outside of the pandemic and it’s not just a tough job market. A new report reveals that discrimination based on race, age, gender, language, and even postal code is one of the biggest barriers keeping young people from getting hired. Some recent grads are giving up on job hunting altogether and turning to grad school, not out of ambition, but because they feel stuck. We break down what’s behind the crisis. Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

19 Aug

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21 min
7 MAR

Mélanie Joly on dealing with the Trump tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was slapping tariffs on Canada this week, and the federal government — along provincial premiers — responded. This week on “It’s Political,” Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly joins Althia for an in-depth interview during the ongoing trade war with the United States. Joly talks about the hectic week which saw Trump impose 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, negotiating with an unpredictable administration, and how Canada is preparing for a future with a more hostile American neighbour. But tariffs are just one part of a larger shift in American foreign policy under Trump. Since assuming office, the U.S. president has repeatedly threatened to annex countries, including Canada. He has battled publicly with historic allies, such as Ukraine, and become friendlier with Russia. What does this shift in American policy represent for the rules-based international order the U.S. itself sought to establish? Two foreign affairs specialists weigh in on that. In this episode: Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly. Raquel Garbers, a visiting executive at the Centre for International Governance Innovation and principal architect of Canada’s defence policy, “Our North, Strong and Free” and Roland Paris, the director of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa. Hosted by Althia Raj. Some of the clips this week were sourced from C-SPAN, CPAC, the Canadian Press Gallery, CBC, CNN, Global news, NBC, CBS, Fox, BBC, Sky News, and Emmanuel Macron’s X account. Our theme music is by Isaac Joel. This episode of “It’s Political” was produced by Althia Raj and Kevin Sexton. Matt Hearn is our sound engineer. Our theme music is by Isaac Joel.

7 Mar

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54 min
1 AUG

Toronto Star columnists discuss the Blue Jays trade deadline acquisitions Shane Bieber, Louis Varland, Seranthony Dominguez and Ty France

The trade deadline has passed and the Blue Jays made a deal right up against the clock, picking up big-armed back-end reliever Louis Varland from the Minnesota Twins to help bolster their bullpen, at the cost of prospect pitcher Kendry Morales and young, promising outfielder Alan Roden. They also got Ty France in that trade, for some reason. I'm joined by my Toronto Star colleague Gregor Chisholm to go over the Jays' moves at the deadline, including the surprise acquisition of two-time all-star and perennial (when healthy) Cy Young candidate Shane Bieber as well as reliever Seranthony Dominguez and the trade of Will Wagner to San Diego for minor-league catching depth. As well, we'll go over all the moves made by the Jays' rivals and see how they stack up as August begins with Toronto in first place overall in the American League and holding a 3 ½ game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East. All that, plus your comments and questions as well!

1 Aug

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47 min
14 AUG

Conversations with future and current Blue Jays, Alek Manoah, Daulton Varsho and top prospect Trey Yesavage

Guests: Blue Jays top prospect Trey Yesavage, Gold Glove centrefielder Daulton Varsho, rehabbing Jays starter Alek Manoah This week in Deep Left Field, we head down to the farm and talk to right-hander Trey Yesavage, the Jays' first-round pick last July, as he prepares to make his debut with the Buffalo Bisons - the fourth team in the Jays' system for which he has suited up in this, his first season in pro ball. The 22-year-old has allowed just 45 hits and notched a whopping 134 strikeouts in 80 2/3 innings this year at Dunedin, Vancouver and New Hampshire combined. He'll start for the Bisons on August 14 and the big leagues will be the next stop. That final promotion could very well come as soon as next month. We also chat with Alek Manoah following a disappointing rehab outing in Buffalo. The former all-star and Cy Young finalist is recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery and in the first Triple-A start in his rehab assignment, lasted just an inning and two-thirds. Also, Daulton Varsho joins us to talk about watching from the sidelines as the Jays built the best record in the American League and then picking up right where he left off, power-wise, when he rejoined them.

14 Aug

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49 min
8 AUG

What this family doctor wants you to know about Ontario's primary care crisis

Guest: Dr. David Barber, Chair OMA’s General and Family Practice Two million people in Ontario do not have access to a family physician, and that number is expected to more than double by 2026. At the same time, many doctors are stepping away from comprehensive care, citing burnout, bureaucracy, and financial strain. In this episode, Dr. David Barber shares what is happening inside the system through his own lived experience. He is a family physician in Kingston and chair of the Ontario Medical Association’s Section on General and Family Practice. He explains what it looks like to stay in the profession as the pressures mount, why so many of his colleagues are walking away, and what it means for patients who are being left behind. Produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon

8 Aug

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22 min

The Star Podcasts are part of the Toronto Star, a multi-platform news organization that informs, connects, investigates, reports and effects change. The purpose of the Toronto Star is to keep our audience informed about what matters most to them, to help make their life, community, country and world better.