Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner
Longtime Toronto Blue Jays radio voice Mike Wilner hosts Deep Left Field, a baseball podcast from the Toronto Star. The show provides great baseball coverage, opinion, and analysis about the Jays and baseball in general.
Episodes
Former Blue Jays preview the 2026 World Series — Rays vs. Brewers
Guests: Former Blue Jays Danny Jansen, Kevin Kiermaier and Luke Maile; Mike Cieslinski, creator of Dynasty League Baseball Powered by Pursue The Pennant This week in Deep Left Field, we discuss the impending 2026 World Series with some former Blue Jays who know a thing or two about the teams involved. Kevin Kiermaier, a Tampa Bay Rays legend after a decade on the gulf coast, joins us to talk ab
Meet the Blue Jays' 2026 rookie of the year and unsung hero
Guests: Blue Jays 2026 Rookie of the Year and 2026 Unsung Hero This week in Deep Left Field, we continue to present the Blue Jays 2026 award winners as voted by the players, coaches, front office and support staff. Unlike last week, when only one interview was required to hear from both the Jays' 2026 MVP and Pitcher of the Year (since they were the same guy, Dylan Cease), the Rookie of the Yea
Honouring Larry Millson, Blue Jays MVP and Winkler, Manitoba's breakout rookie Tristan Peters
Guests: Blue Jays MVP and Pitcher of the Year; Chicago White Sox outfielder Tristan Peters This week in Deep Left Field, we pay tribute to the late, great Larry Millson, then begin our reveal of the winners of the Blue Jays 2026 Awards as voted on by the players, coaches and support staff. You'll hear from the player the Jays voted their Most Valuable and the Pitcher of the Year! Also, we get t
What went wrong — Shapiro and Atkins on the Jays' disastrous 2026 season
This week in Deep Left Field, we dive into the end-of-season post-mortems held by Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins on Wednesday. We break down what Shapiro had to say about his feelings watching the heart-warming final weekend of the Jays' miserable season and about the looming labour dispute. Then we wade through what Atkins said about having baseball's worst o
The Blue Jays' emotional final game with Max Scherzer and George Springer
Guests: Blue Jays outfielder George Springer, pitcher Max Scherzer, catcher Brandon Valenzuela, associate manager DeMarlo Hale This special bonus episode of Deep Left Field comes to you as the Blue Jays wrap up what's been a frustrating and disappointing season with an incredibly emotional Game 162, leaving their fans with a good taste in their mouths for what promises to be a long off-season.
From contenders to eliminated: what went wrong with the Blue Jays
Guest: Toronto Star baseball columnist Gregor Chisholm This week in Deep Left Field, the Blue Jays playoff dreams have been extinguished. What looked only a couple of weeks ago like a team that had another playoff run in it has limped to the finish line, with 11 losses in 16 games through Wednesday's doubleheader sweep in Baltimore in which the Jays were mathematically eliminated after the first g
The Blue Jays are down to nine games, farm report with Trey Yesavage and new pitcher Josh Stephan
Guests: Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage, prospect pitcher Josh Stephan This week in Deep Left Field, we go over an up-and-down "week that was" for the Blue Jays, who find themselves a game and a half out of a playoff spot with nine games to play as they head into their final road trip of the regular season. We also take a trip down to the farm, where we catch up with rookie Trey Yesavage, who
The Blue Jays' playoff race: breaking down the AL standings, plus Carlos Delgado on the Hall of Excellence
Guest: Blue Jays all-time great Carlos Delgado This week in Deep Left Field, we take a deep dive into the muddled mess that is the "race" for the final playoff spot in the American League, of which the Blue Jays are very much a part. We look at all the teams, their schedules, the math, the expectations, and what the Jays need to do in order to be a playoff team for the fifth time in seven seas
The Blue Jays are within half a game of a playoff spot
Guests: Blue Jays pitchers Joe Mantiply, Paul Sewald, Jameson Taillon; infielder Sean Keys This week in Deep Left Field, the Blue Jays have surged to within half a game of a playoff spot thanks to five wins in their last six games, including a big series win in Cleveland. We go over the week that was, highlighting a sweep of the Seattle Mariners and what may have been Vladimir Guerrero's brea
Hall of Excellence inductee Buck Martinez, Dylan Cease's Cy Young bid, plus the Jays' September push
Guests: Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease, Jays icon Buck Martinez This week in Deep Left Field, it's the first time in a long time that the Blue Jays have lost ground in the playoff race, but they're heading into September well within striking distance of the leader in the chase for the American League's final wild card spot. Thursday, that's the Cleveland Guardians, but that seems to change on a
Paul Lee talks Blue Jays playoff push, and the Jesus Sanchez experience
Guest: Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, star of Kim's Convenience, The Mandalorian, Murdoch Mysteries, and so much more This week in Deep Left Field, the Blue Jays are on the cusp of a playoff berth as they come out of their toughest fortnight of the season, playing exclusively against the three best teams in the American League. Going into Thursday, they're 6-3 so far and have closed to within one game o
Joey Votto on greatness (and what's wrong with Vladdy), Gimenez on clutch moments, and the Blue Jays' playoff push
Guests: Canadian baseball great Joey Votto, Blue Jays shortstop Andres Gimenez and pitcher Spencer Miles This week in Deep Left Field, the Blue Jays are on a roll and have closed to within a game and a half of a playoff spot thanks to five wins in their last six games. We talk to the Jays' "Captain Clutch," Andres Gimenez, about how he seems to elevate his game to produce in big spots, and to Rule
Kevin Gausman, Chicago Cub: 'I'm not saying that either one's better than the other. I love Toronto, everyone knows that.'
Guests: Chicago Cubs pitchers Kevin Gausman and Trent Thornton; Blue Jays third baseman Josh Smith This week in Deep Left Field we travel to the north side of Chicago to see Kevin Gausman in his new digs at venerable Wrigley Field. The hope was to see Gausman square off against the team that traded him less than a week ago, but he felt that might be a bit too much. Instead, we got what migh
Blue Jays trade deadline breakdown: Gausman, Varsho and Hoffman are gone. Winners, losers, and what's next
Guest: Toronto Star baseball columnist Gregor Chisholm The trade deadline has passed and the Blue Jays were very busy indeed. After picking up right-hander Jameson Taillon and trading beloved starting pitcher Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, the Jays made four more trades on Monday's deadline day. They dealt away embattled former closer Jeff Hoffman and one-time MLB Defensive Player of
Can the Blue Jays turn it around as the trade deadline looms? DeMarlo Hale weighs in
Guest: Blue Jays associate manager DeMarlo Hale This week in Deep Left Field, we check in with DeMarlo Hale to assess the second third of what continues to be a disappointing and frustrating Blue Jays season. The Jays won 25 of their first 54 games, then 24 of the next 54, so they head into the final third of the season (in which they're 1-0 so far) leaning heavily toward being sellers at the
Kevin Gausman's emotional reflections as the Jays spiral before the trade deadline
Guest: Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman With the Jays' season spiraling, seemingly out of control, losing seven of their last eight games to fall 10 games under .500, it seems inevitable that they will be sellers at the August 3 trade deadline. Their most attractive commodity on the trade market is Kevin Gausman, and the five-year Blue Jay joins us for an honest, open and very emotional convers
Unveiling Joe Carter's Statue, celebrating the '92-'93 Blue Jays champions and remembering Duane Ward
Guests: Blue Jays World Series champions Tom Henke, Juan Guzman, Todd Stottlemyre In this special bonus episode of Deep Left Field, we take you to this past weekend's celebration of the Blue Jays 1992 and '93 World Series championship teams that culminated in the unveiling of a statue of Joe Carter in mid-leap after hitting the walk-off home run to win the '93 fall classic. This episode was suppos
Met's third base coach Tim Leiper, Venezuelan national team manager Omar Lopez and more
Guests: New York Mets 3B coach Tim Leiper, Houston Astros bench coach Omar Lopez This week in Deep Left Field, we jump into the unofficial second half with a little international flair! Recorded during the annual all-star break Wilner Family Vacation - this time to Denmark and Sweden - we bring you Tim Leiper! The long-time third-base coach for Baseball Canada and first-base coach of the Blue
Blue Jays Ernie Clement, John Schneider, DeMarlo Hale and Bowden Francis before the all-star break
Guests: Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement, manager John Schneider, associate manager DeMarlo Hale, pitcher Bowden Francis This week in Deep Left Field, the Blue Jays are about to head into the all-star break and they'll be very well-represented at the midsummer classic. Ernie Clement was the American League's leading vote-getter and he joins us to talk about his upcoming trip to Philadelphia th
The Jays beat the Mets on Canada Day and we speak to Bo Bichette, Braydon Fisher and Mason Fluharty
Guests: New York Mets infielder Bo Bichette, Blue Jays pitchers Braydon Fisher and Mason Fluharty, Jays bullpen coach Graham Johnson This week in Deep Left Field, we have our first-ever conversation with Bo Bichette while he's wearing a uniform other than the Blue Jays'. Drafted by the Jays in 2016, making it to the big leagues in 2019 and a Toronto mainstay and fan favourite ever since, Bi
The post .500 collapse: Blue Jays lose 6 straight in agonizing fashion
The Blue Jays have lost six games in a row after finally reaching the .500 mark, each loss pretty much an agonizing repeat of the one before. Fall behind early, increase the deficit, rally late but still wind up losing, rinse and repeat. To suggest it's been a rough week for Jays' fans would be a massive understatement, and so we here in Deep Left Field had to put together an emergency bonus p
Shane Bieber's return, Joey Loperfido's revenge and meet Luis Urias
Guests: Blue Jays pitcher Shane Bieber, infielder Luis Urias; Houston Astros outfielder Joey Loperfido This week in Deep Left Field, we talk to Shane Bieber after his first start of the season, coming almost three months after opening day. The former Cy Young award winner opens up about working his way back to full health and his disappointment in that first outing, with hopes for better in the se
Devon White, Lloyd Moseby, Stubby Clapp and more live from the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame induction banquet
Guests: The living inductees from the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 - Devon White, Stubby Clapp, Kate Psota, Bill Stoneman and Paul Runge, plus former Blue Jays centrefielder Lloyd Moseby and former Baseball Canada pitcher Steve Green and outfielder Jeremy Ware In this special bonus episode of Deep Left Field, we take you to St. Marys, Ontario, for the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fa
Max Scherzer on fatherhood, Chad Dallas' first big league win, plus CBHOF induction weekend
Guests: Blue Jays pitchers Max Scherzer and Chad Dallas; Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame co-chair Cathy Landolt This week in Deep Left Field, we celebrate Fathers Day as well as the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's induction weekend. Of course, we'll tell you all about the Blue Jays "week that was" that moved them back into the final American League wild card spot, but we also chat with Max Sch
Kevin Gausman on the Jays' playoff push, plus Tim Mayza's return to Toronto
Guests: Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman, Philadelphia Phillies reliever Tim Mayza This week in Deep Left Field, we look into the latest Blue Jays news from a 4-3 week, including the returns of Dylan Cease (good) and Max Scherzer (less good) from the injured list and speculate about how the Jays might handle the impending return of Alejandro Kirk, given that Brandon Valenzuela has emerged as one of
Blue Jays icons Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnación relive the glory days plus the mail bag
Guests: Blue Jays icons Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion; Jays pitchers Chad Dallas and Simeon Woods Richardson This week in Deep Left Field, we look back at a bleak Week That Was for the Blue Jays, and then bring you back to happier times. You'll hear from Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, who discuss their glory days as running mates with the Jays in the 2010s, culminating with each of the
Demarlo Hale on navigating adversity, plus Liam Hicks' Toronto homecoming and the mailbag
Guests: Blue Jays associate manager Demarlo Hale, up-and-coming infield prospect Charles McAdoo, Marlins catcher/first baseman and Toronto native Liam Hicks This week in Deep Left Field, we go over all the Blue Jays' roster machinations of the week, including Dylan Cease's first-ever trip to the injured list, and talk about a bunch of roster churn on the pitching side. On May 25, the Jays reach
Kazuma Okamoto on dugout snacks, plus chats with Yohendrick Pinango and Joe Mantiply
Guests: Blue Jays home run and RBI leader Kazuma Okamoto, rookie outfielder Yohendrick Pinango, reliever Joe Mantiply This week in Deep Left Field, we rant about Blue Jays fans who for some reason want to declare the season over when it's not even summer yet and they're two games out of a playoff spot. We look back at a break-even"Week That Was" that featured five one-run games, then talk to a
A walk-off, grand slam episode with Blue Jay Ernie Clement, and old friends John Gibbons and Alek Manoah
Guests: Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement, Los Angeles Angels pitcher Alek Manoah and bench coach John Gibbons This week in Deep Left Field, we take you through a Blue Jays week that ended with a bang - the first grand slam of the season and a walk-off, at that! Then Ernie Clement joins us to talk about the team's rough start to the season, his ever-increasing popularity (and visibility on your te
Another rough week for the Jays, plus we continue celebrating the Jay's 50th season and the mailbag
Guests: Blue Jays alumnus Shannon Stewart, Jays catching coach Drew Butera, Cleveland Guardians reliever Erik Sabrowski This week in Deep Left Field, we force ourselves to look back at a rough Blue Jays Week That Was, in which they got to within one game of the .500 mark then lost four in a row, including a three-game sweep at the House of Horrors that is Tropicana Field. Continuing the celebr
The Jays had a winning week, plus they get some help with players returning from injury
Guests: Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease, catcher Brandon Valenzuela, Boston Red Sox infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa This week in Deep Left Field, we look back at a winning Blue Jays Week That Was. With the injured players starting to return, the Jays went into Thursday's action just half a game out of a playoff spot in the American League. Dylan Cease has had a strong start to his Jays' career, post
Listen: Brendon Little and Trey Yesavage down on the farm, plus closer controversy as the Jays start winning
Guests: Rehabbing Blue Jays starter Trey Yesavage, Reliever Brendon Little, Team Canada/Buffalo Bisons pitcher Adam Macko This week in Deep Left Field, we look back at a Blue Jays week that included a three-game winning streak but also saw the closer controversy take another step forward, likely with Jeff Hoffman losing his job, at least for a while. Then we go down to the farm in Buffalo to hear
Another rough week for the Blue Jays, a chat with Jeff Hoffman, plus the curious trade for infielder Lenyn Sosa
It was a rough week for the Blue Jays
Guests: Blue Jays starter Eric Lauer and reliever Joe Mantiply, Dodgers 1B coach Chris Woodward This week in Deep Left Field, we go over what was nearly a winless Week That Was for your Toronto Blue Jays, with two key players hitting the injured list and another set for regular-season- ending knee surgery. It was a rough week both on and off the field for the Jays, many of whom have been strugg
Was Game 7 of the Blue Jays-Dodgers 2025 World Series the greatest baseball game ever?
For a few fleeting hours on Nov. 1, 2025, Toronto felt like it might be 1993 all over again. And though the Blue Jays didn't win the 2025 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, some people ask if that winner-take-all Game 7 might have been the greatest baseball game ever played. That's probably a hard idea to stomach if you're a Blue Jays fan, but the advanced statistics might support it. M
The Blue Jays opening week that was
Guests: Blue Jays pitchers Max Scherzer and Spencer Miles, Athletics outfielder Denzel Clarke This week in Deep Left Field, we go over the Blue Jays' week that was, which featured a sweep of the Athletics and an ugly series loss to the sad-sack Colorado Rockies, with a special emphasis on Cody Ponce's catastrophic knee injury and what that means for the rotation. Then we hear from two Jays pitch
Opening Day Pre-Game Show — Star columnists discuss the 2026 Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Star columnists Gregor Chisholm and Mike Wilner gathered on the field of the Rogers Centre during batting practice, to discuss the 2026 Toronto Blue Jays and what might be in store during the 50th season of Toronto Blue Jays baseball.
It's opening day of the Blue Jays' 50th season
Blue Jays opening day starter Kevin Gausman
Guest: Blue Jays opening day starter Kevin Gausman Kevin Gausman is going to meet the media on Thursday afternoon ahead of his first opening day start as a Blue Jay, but you'll get to hear from him first here in Deep Left Field! In an in-depth, wide-ranging conversation, the 35-year-old discusses rebounding from the shortest off-season he's ever had after throwing more pitches than anyone else in
Blue Jays outfielders Addison Barger and George Springer
Guests: Blue Jays outfielders Addison Barger and George Springer Today's episode of Deep Left Field DAILY features a couple of Blue Jays sluggers who had unexpectedly great seasons and made massive contributions toward the Jays winning the American League East and getting to within inches of a World Series championship last fall. George Springer came off the worst year of his career to lead th
Blue Jays pitchers Shane Bieber, Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage
Guests: Blue Jays pitchers Shane Bieber, Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage Today, Deep Left Field checks out the Blue Jays' starting rotation - or, at least, people who will be pieces of the rotation at some point this season. Dylan Cease got the richest contract the Jays have ever given to a pitcher, and the 30-year-old right-hander will be second out of the gate when the season opens, starting Sat
Listen: Blue Jays manager John Schneider signs a two-year extension to stay in the Toronto
Guest: Blue Jays manager John Schneider Deep Left Field is going DAILY for the lead-up to Blue Jays' opening day on Friday, and we kick off the week with an in-depth conversation with John Schneider, who just signed a two-year extension that will keep him as Blue Jays manager through the 2028 season. Schneider, who is about to begin his fourth full season as Jays' skipper and his 25th as a member
Some of the "Glue Jays" discuss being so close to winning the World Series, plus the mailbag
Meet some new Jays, plus Team Canada vs. Team U.S.A at the WBC
Guests: Blue Jays relievers Tyler Rogers and Chase Lee, shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala This week in Deep Left Field, we dive into Canada's Pool A victory at the World Baseball Classic, the first time Team Canada has ever advanced beyond the first round of the WBC. Their reward is a quarter-final win-or-go-home match-up against a humiliated Team USA on Friday the 13th. Then we introduce you to a
We go all Canadian from sunny Florida as the Jays continue spring training, plus we open the mailbag
Guests: Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Team Canada pitcher Michael Soroka, Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Russell Martin This week, Deep Left Field comes to you from spring training once again and we present an all-Canadian episode! Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) joins us for his first-ever Deep Left Field conversation without an interpreter. We talk to Vladdy about the
Jeff Hoffman reflects on Game 7, 'I had a chance to end it'
Guest: Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman In this special bonus episode of Deep Left Field, from Blue Jays' spring training in Dunedin, Florida, we look back at the ninth inning of Game 7 of the World Series with the man who was on the mound for the Jays and gave up the first-ever ninth-inning game-tying home run in World Series history. Jeff Hoffman said that day that he'd cost his teammates a
Max is back! Myles Straw talks Scherzer, then we speak to three *imenezes - Andres G., Leo J. and Eloy J.!
Guests: Blue Jays outfielder Myles Straw, shortstop Andres Gimenez, infielder Leo Jimenez, outfielder Eloy Jimenez Deep Left Field returns to Dunedin, Florida for Blue Jays spring training and this week we present a confluence of *imenezes, each of whom has been making news in the early days of camp, but first, a chat with Myles Straw about the Jays repatriation of Max Scherzer, who agreed to a on
With spring training in full swing, we discuss how Kazuma Okamoto is looking, plus the mailbag
Guests: Former Blue Jays catcher and broadcaster Alan Ashby; Toronto Star baseball columnist Gregor Chisholm This week in Deep Left Field, we head down to Dunedin, Florida as the Star's Gregor Chisholm wraps up his week at Blue Jays spring training. We check in with Gregor about what he's seen from the Jays and get his thoughts on, among other things, how Kazuma Okamoto has been looking, why Antho
The Blue Jays trade Joey Loperfido for Jesus Sanchez
The Blue Jays open spring training in sunny Florida, but under a cloud of injuries, plus the mailbag
Listen: The Class of 2026 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
Guests: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Inductees Stubby Clapp, Kate Psota, Paul Runge, Bill Stoneman, Devon White This week in Deep Left Field, we speak to every living member of the just-announced Class of 2026 for the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. They will be inducted in a ceremony in St. Marys, Ont. on June 20. Devon White, the greatest centrefielder in Blue Jays' history. Stub
Baseball's CBA is expiring this year, is another lockout looming? Plus, the mailbag
Guests: Toronto Star baseball columnist Gregor Chisholm, former New York Post baseball columnist, now journalism professor and author Ken Davidoff This week in Deep Left Field, we talk labour. Baseball's Collective Bargaining Agreement expires this year and the stage is set for another off-season lockout, just like we saw five years ago. There's no question that the 2026 season will be played, but
The new Met, Bo Bichette is introduced by his new team plus, looking back at the Baseball Canada awards and, the mailbag
Guests: Former Blue Jay Russell Martin, Mets pitcher Jonah Tong, Athletics' outfielder Denzel Clarke This week in Deep Left Field, we take you to New York City to hear what Bo Bichette had to say at the media conference that introduced him as a New York Met. We also go back to the Baseball Canada awards banquet to hear from Canadian baseball luminaries, including new Bichette teammate Jonah Ton
Bo-nus Episode: Bichette a Met
Guest: Paul Sun-Hyung Lee of Kim's Convenience, The Mandalorian and more Bo Bichette agrees to a three-year contract with the New York Mets, ending the Bichette-Guerrero era with a thud. Reaction from Blue Jays' fandom has been all over the map, from devastation to "good riddance" and everywhere in between. We reach out to Canadian icon and huge Jays fan Paul Sun-Hyung Lee to discuss his feelings
The face of the "Glue Jays," Ernie Clement, plus Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins
Guests: Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement, general manager Ross Atkins The face of the "Glue Jays," Ernie Clement, moves from the infield out to Deep Left Field to join us on the show this week. He talks about the immediate aftermath of Game 7 of the World Series in the clubhouse and gives his thoughts on the Jays' magical season and his magical post-season that fell just short. As well, Ernie fi
We get an up-close-and-personal scouting report on new Blue Jay Kazuma Okamoto
Guest: Former Blue Jays all-star slugger Justin Smoak This week in Deep Left Field, we find out about the Blue Jays' new free-agent acquisition, Kazuma Okamoto, from someone who played with him. Justin Smoak, a five-year Jay and an all-star in 2017, when he hit 38 home runs, played his final professional season in Japan in 2021 as a teammate of Okamoto's, and joins us to give his up-close-and-pers
Who is Kazuma Okamoto and what does he bring to the Blue Jays?
In this special bonus episode of Deep Left Field, we take an in-depth look at the Blue Jays first real foray into the Pacific Rim, the signing of six-time NPB all-star Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million (US) contract. Who is Okamoto and what does he bring? How does his signing affect the Jays' roster - who goes where? And, of course, what about Bo Bichette? The answers to all these questio
Former Blue Jays and Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling talks about his teams squaring off in one of the greatest World Series of all time
Guest: Former Toronto Blue Jay and Los Angeles Dodger pitcher Ross Stripling In our final episode of 2025 (or first of 2026, depending on when you listen), an old friend comes back to Deep Left Field for a long-overdue Long Toss With Ross segment. Ross Stripling, who spent the majority of his nine-year major-league career with the Jays and Dodgers, joins us to catch up and talk about watching
We discuss the Jays' magical 2025 season, plus we open the mail bag
Guest: Dave Bidini, Renaissance Man With the holidays upon us, we brought the biggest baseball romantic we know into Deep Left Field to talk about the magic that was the Blue Jays' 2025 season. Dave Bidini - author of multiple books including "Baseballissimo," publisher of the West End Phoenix, Toronto Star contributor and Rheostatics guitarist - joins us to wax poetic on the year that was, the po
Welcome Cody Ponce, the Jays newly signed pitcher
Guests: New Blue Jays pitcher Cody Ponce, former Blue Jays pitcher Jay Jackson This week in Deep Left Field, we meet Cody Ponce, the right-hander the Jays signed earlier this month who is coming off the greatest season ever pitched in the Korea Baseball Organization. Ponce was introduced to the Toronto media this week, and we have highlights from that conversation, including what drew him to t
The Jays introduce newly signed Dylan Cease, plus we hear from newly-elected Hall of Famer Jeff Kent and we open the mailbag
Guest: Toronto Star Baseball Columnist Gregor Chisholm This week in Deep Left Field, we wrap up the winter meetings with my partner on the Star's Blue Jays beat, Gregor Chisholm, who was in Orlando to watch the Jays introduce free-agent signee Dylan Cease and to talk to general manager Ross Atkins about the Jays' winter plans, Shane Bieber's forearm fatigue and Jose Berrios' state of mind, among o
Who is Cody Ponce, the newest Blue Jay? Plus, Gord Ash on what winter meetings are like for a GM
Guests: Gord Ash, VP Baseball Projects, Milwaukee Brewers; Jee-ho Yoo, Yonhap News Agency This week in Deep Left Field, we get you set for Major League Baseball's annual swap meet and free-agent signing session, the winter meetings, by giving you a look from the inside. Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Gord Ash joins us to talk about what the meetings are like from a general manager's perspective.
Star columnists discuss Blue Jays big off-season signing of Dylan Cease, plus we open up the mailbag
Guests: Toronto Star baseball columnist Gregor Chisholm, Canadian Baseball League commissioner Ted Kalnins The Blue Jays have made their first big move of the off-season, agreeing to a seven-year, $210 million (US) contract with starting pitcher Dylan Cease - the biggest contract they've given to a free agent in franchise history. We're joined by Gregor Chisholm, my partner on the Star's baseb
We speak to some Canadian stars of the stage and screen about the Jays' magical 2025 run and what's to come
Guests: Ryan Bondy (Book of Mormon), Jeff Madden (Jersey Boys, Shrek The Musical), Paloma Nunez (Second City) This week in Deep Left Field, we sit in the limbo between the end of the World Series and the beginning of the winter transaction season, so we took advantage and gathered some Canadian stars of stage and screen who also happen to be huge Blue Jays fans. Ryan Bondy, Jeff Madden and Paloma
Don Mattingly's Blue Jays exit interview
Guest: Former Blue Jays bench coach Don Mattingly After three years with the Jays, Don Mattingly feels that his work is done and he is moving on. But before the 64-year-old tackles the next challenge in a life that has seen him involved in Major League Baseball since the New York Yankees drafted him in 1979, he joins us in Deep Left Field to talk about his time in Toronto. Mattingly went to the Wo
Breaking down Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro and GM Ross Atkins' year-end press conference
As they do at the end of every season, Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins meet the media to discuss the year just passed and to hint at their plans for the year to come. This year, for the first time in a long time, it wasn't a disaster. We take you through Shapiro and Atkins' availabilities and go through heir comments as they discuss, among other things, the
'What if they would have thrown it offline...so many things…when in doubt, slide.' Kevin Kiermaier on IKF's slide and much more
Guest: Former Blue Jay Kevin Kiermaier The off-season is upon us but the sad ending to the Blue Jays' season still lingers. We wanted to know what one of the greatest baserunners in baseball history thought about the bottom of the ninth of Game 7, so we reached out to Kevin Kiermaier and he joins us to answer some questions. Kiermaier discusses whether he thinks Isiah Kiner-Falefa shoul
Shane Bieber will be a Toronto Blue Jay in 2026 after giving team an enormous discount
Guest: Shane Bieber It only took three days for the most shocking move of the off-season to happen. Against all odds, Shane Bieber exercised his $16 million (US) player option and is staying with the Blue Jays for the 2026 season. The 30-year-old, a two-time all-star who won the Cy Young award in 2020, loved his two months as a Blue Jay and has unfinished business here, so he's sticking around t
We open up the mailbag to help with the post World Series blues after the Jays heartbreaking loss
It's the day after the day after and the Blue Jays' loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series is still a heartbreaking gut punch. We throw open the Monday Mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca to share your thoughts, feelings and questions about the game, the series and the season as a whole and hear from a wide range of listeners, from the zen-like appreciation of the Jays' magi
So close, to the trophy and each other, Blue Jays were one inning shy of winning the World Series with '30 guys that truly believed in each other, truly loved each other'
Guests: Chris Bassitt, Ernie Clement, Myles Straw, Daulton Varsho The baseball season is over and the Blue Jays fell short by two outs or one run, however you want to slice it. The Los Angeles Dodgers beat them 5-4 in 11 innings to finish one of the greatest World Series ever played with one of the greatest Game 7s. We went through the saddest clubhouse I have ever seen to bring you the post-
'The two best words in sports. Game 7....Be loud. Be rowdy.'
Guests: Ernie Clement, Trey Yesavage The final day of the 2025 baseball season is upon us and for the first time in franchise history, the Blue Jays will be playing in Game 7 of the World Series. Even though they never had the lead at any point, Game 6 was a tough loss, ending with Addison Barger getting doubled off second base, representing the tying run. We talk to Ernie Clement, who came u
The Toronto Blue Jays could be World Series Champions tonight
No scary stuff on this Hallowe'en edition of Deep Left Field, just a trip into the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca as we get you set for Game 6 of the World Series a game that, if the Blue Jays should win, would get them their first championship since 1993 and only their third overall. We hear from Jays fans from Toronto and all across Canada from BC to PEI, as well as all the way in Ireland a
Trey Yesavage dominates Dodgers: 'Hollywood couldn't have made it this good
Guests: Max Scherzer, Jeff Hoffman, Braydon Fisher, Joey Loperfido Trey Yesavage made history with his performance in Game 5 of the World Series, sending the Blue Jays home to Toronto with a chance to win the whole shebang on Friday night. The 22-year-old broke his own Jays post-season record with 12 strikeouts and set or tied at least four other post-season or World Series records. We discuss
Blue Jays win back home field advantage and make it a best of three
The baseball season is going to end in Toronto this year. The Blue Jays assured that there will be at least a Game 6 of the World Series, to be played at Rogers Centre Friday night, with their come-from-behind 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4, a game that started barely 17 hours after the 18-inning marathon Game 3 finished. In this episode of Deep Left Field, we'll hear from win
Blue Jays lose to Dodgers in 6-hour, 39-minute, 18-inning World Series heartbreaker in La La Land
Guests: Eric Lauer, Kevin Gausman The Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers played 18 innings of World Series baseball over more than six and a half hours Monday night (and Tuesday morning!), tying the longest game in Fall Classic history, and the Dodgers came out on top thanks to a Freddie Freeman home run. We talk to Eric Lauer, who provided 4 2/3 innings of shutout relief - part of 10 stra
Yoshinobu Yamamoto dominates Blue Jays in Game 2
Guest: Nathan Lukes The Blue Jays were utterly dominated by Los Angeles Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2 of the World Series, losing 5-1 and having the last 20 hitters in a row retired. Not only did Yamamoto take out the Jays' bats, he apparently took my voice, too, but Deep Left Field will always be here for you. Nathan Lukes, one of the four Jays to actually manage a hit on Sa
Blue Jays send a message to the Dodgers and the baseball world with an 11-4 win in Game 1
Guests: Addison Barger, Bo Bichette, Ernie Clement The Blue Jays not only won the opener of the MLB Fall Classic on Friday, they sent a firm message to the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers that Toronto is not going to be just another pit stop on their road to a repeat. The fans also sent a firm message to Shohei Ohtani when he came to bat in the ninth inning, chanting, "We don't need you!"
Listen: On the start of the World Series, we take a deep dive back into the Blue Jays Game 7 win of the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners
Guests: Blue Jays Shane Bieber, Ernie Clement, Kevin Gausman, Daulton Varsho and Mike Cieslinski of Dynasty League Baseball With the Blue Jays about to begin their first World Series since 1993, we look back to their thrilling Game 7 of the American League championship series against the Seattle Mariners and ahead to the opener of the Fall Classic. We hear from Shane Bieber, who started Game 7 and
All-Star fan panel Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Nick Dika and Clare Blackwood are fired up about the American League Champion Blue Jays
Guests: Clare Blackwood, Nick Dika, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee With the start of the World Series only one day away, we gather a panel of Canadian stars of stage and screen to look back at the Blue Jays win over the Seattle Mariners in the American League and look ahead at the Fall Classic against the heavily-favoured Los Angeles Dodgers. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, star of Kim's Convenience, the Mandalo
Listen: Blue Jays Max Scherzer, manager John Schneider and Jose Bautista discuss this team and that magical home run
Guests: Max Scherzer, John Schneider, Jose Bautista As we await Friday night's opener of the World Series, the first in Toronto in over three decades, we look back at the post-game party after the Blue Jays thrilling win in Game 7 of the American League championship series Monday night. Max Scherzer, never at a loss for energy, nearly blows the decibel meter on our system as he raves about
