Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

The Star
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Longtime Toronto Blue Jays radio voice Mike Wilner hosts Deep Left Field, a baseball podcast from the Toronto Star. With great baseball coverage, opinion and analysis, Deep Left Field has everything you need to know about the Jays, specifically, and baseball in general.

  1. 9 HR AGO

    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 Johna 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.

    1h 4m

  2. 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.

    1h 5m

  3. 21 AUG

    Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffmann talks about his meltdown in LA and the potential postseason, plus we speak to reliever Seranthony Dominguez, and infielder Ty France

    Guests: Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman, reliever Seranthony Dominguez, infielder Ty France   This week in Deep Left Field, we talk to the closer. Jeff Hoffman melted down in embarrassing fashion in Los Angeles on August 10, causing panic among the fans and calls to put him in a lower-leverage role in the Jays' bullpen. Since that outing, Hoffman has appeared in four games and allowed only one hit, with nine strikeouts against 13 batters faced. He talks about his meltdown - and how he wanted to stay in that game to face Shohei Ohtani with the bases loaded - his first year as a full-time closer and the potential to be pitching in big spots in the post-season.   Seranthony Dominguez has pitched in several big spots in the post-season, with a career ERA of 1.02 in 17 playoff appearances, some as a teammate of Hoffman's two years ago in Philadelphia. We play "Get To Know The New Guy" with Dominguez, acquired from Baltimore at the trade deadline, and do the same with Ty France, who was picked up from the Minnesota Twins a couple of days later.

    1h 8m

  4. 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.

    49 min

  5. 11 AUG

    After Rockies sweep, Jays nearly swept by Dodgers before dramatic comeback

    The Blue Jays spent the weekend in Los Angeles almost getting swept by the defending World Series champions and the drama was so far through the roof that a bonus episode of Deep Left Field was required so we could all process it. From the high of a club-record 45 runs scored over three games in Colorado to just two runs combined in the first two games at Dodger Stadium and just two more through the first seven innings of the series finale, questions were starting to pop up about the Jays, despite them having the American League's best record. A Sunday loss would leave them with only five wins in their last 14 games - three of them against the worst team in the game. Was the air starting to come out of the balloon? Was the Jays' record a mirage? Can we actually not have nice things in Toronto? Home runs by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Addison Barger gave the Jays a late lead, but closer Jeff Hoffman gave it right back with a bases loaded walk, then walked three more in the ninth after Ernie Clement went deep to give the Jays yet another lead. Mason Fluharty, the youngest pitcher on the staff, had to bail Hoffman out, and did he ever. We go through all of it for you here in Deep Left Field - what happened, what it means, and who does what going forward as the Jays move into the final 43 games of the season.

    28 min

  6. 7 AUG

    Trade deadline pickups Shane Bieber and Brandon Valenzuela haven’t made their Jays debut yet, but discuss their whirlwind moves and more

    Guests: Blue Jays rehabbing pitcher Shane Bieber, Buffalo Bisons catcher Brandon Valenzuela     Two of the Blue Jays' trade deadline acquisitions have yet to make their debuts with the big club, and you'll meet them both this week in Deep Left Field! Shane Bieber spoke after his first rehab start in Buffalo, in which he threw five innings against the Syracuse Mets, allowing two runs on five hits with a walk and six strikeouts. You'll hear his comments about how he felt, the whirlwind that sent him from Cleveland to Toronto to Buffalo in three days and what he thought of becoming a Blue Jay. Brandon Valenzuela was acquired in a head-shaking trade with the San Diego Padres, straight up for Will Wagner. The 24-year-old catcher made his organizational debut, catching Bieber in that rehab game, and we caught up with him afterward. The Mexican native discussed meeting Alejandro Kirk, catching Bieber - he said he's never seen anything like it - and the unexpected trade that put him on the road to a potential big-league debut in Toronto. You'll also hear all about the overwhelming, record-setting series sweep in Colorado as well as a short treatise on run differential, since the Jays added 39 runs to it this week!

    53 min

  7. 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!

    47 min

  8. 31 JUL

    Blue Jays add former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, after adding Seranthony Dominguez. What’s next as the deadline draws close?

    Guest: Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt   They added to their bullpen Tuesday by acquiring Seranthony Dominguez from Baltimore, but a dozen more trades were made across the majors on Wednesday and the Jays weren't involved.   Big Toronto targets Jhoan Duran and Ryan Helsley, a couple of huge relief arms, and slugging third baseman Eugenio Suarez all came off the board, going to Philadelphia, the New York Mets and Seattle, respectively. Who's left for the Jays to pick up on the last day? We go over that list for you, as well as examine the trades that were made to see if the Jays could have made more compelling offers.   Also, Jays' starter Chris Bassitt joins us to talk about the keys to the team's success so far this season and his influence on how the players are handled.

    46 min
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Longtime Toronto Blue Jays radio voice Mike Wilner hosts Deep Left Field, a baseball podcast from the Toronto Star. With great baseball coverage, opinion and analysis, Deep Left Field has everything you need to know about the Jays, specifically, and baseball in general.

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