Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

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 conversation as he deals with the potential that he has made his final start at home for the Jays.   You might want to grab a tissue or two, Gausman certainly could have used some.   As well, we take a deep dive into the mailbag at [email protected] for your questions, comments and thoughts, including ones about the upcoming deadline, the Jays' uninspiring play of late, the role of the front office in the swoon and the tragic passing of 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 supposed to be a happy one, catching up with a few Jays legends, but the tragic death of Duane Ward cast a pall over the weekend. We pay tribute to "Wardo," a great friend and iconic Blue Jay, and then share conversations from Saturday's media availability with pitchers Tom Henke, Juan Guzman and Todd Stottlemyre, who have five Jays World Series rings between them. Those conversations all took place before anyone knew that Ward had passed away.

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 Jays in the glory years of 2015-16 now makes his full-time home in Huntsville, Ontario.    Also, we talk to Astros bench coach Omar Lopez, who managed Team Venezuela to an incredibly unexpected gold medal finish at the World Baseball Classic!   The mailbag is always open at [email protected]!

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 that will also include teammates Dylan Cease and Louis Varland. The entire Jays' coaching staff will be there as well, serving in the same role for the AL, and we talked to skipper John Schneider and his right-hand man, DeMarlo Hale, about going to the all-star game. Also, we're joined by rehabbing right-hander Bowden Francis, the last Blue Jays pitcher to take a no-hitter into the ninth inning before Cease did it in San Francisco on Wednesday. All that, plus the mailbag at [email protected]!

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, Bichette belted a three-run home run off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series and then did not get the off-season interest from the Jays that he was looking for.   He returned to Toronto as a New York Met this week and joins us to discuss his time here and his new start in Queens.   Mason Fluharty and Braydon Fisher took time out from their busy schedules, leading the major leagues in pitching appearances and all, to join us in Deep Left Field, and so did their bullpen coach, Graham Johnson, otherwise known as the guy who slaps Louis Varland in the back awfully hard before the Jays' closer comes into each game.   All that, plus the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 podcast to help get you through.   The star of this show is you - your thoughts, comments, frustrations and venting received in the mailbag at [email protected] and on Bluesky @wilnerness.bsky.social.   There's nothing to be happy about with the Jays right now, so let's talk about it!

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 second half. We're also joined by Joey Loperfido, a favourite in the Jays' 2025 clubhouse - and a great contributor when given the opportunity - who was traded back to the Astros this spring for Jesus Sanchez. As it turns out, we gave Loperfido the DLF bump, unfortunately for the Blue Jays. And we'll play "Meet The New Guy" with Luis Urias, who the Jays acquired from Arizona earlier in the week. The 29-year-old homered in his first game before making a huge base running blunder in his second. All that, plus a dip into the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 Fame's induction weekend. We present a live recording of the annual pre-induction banquet, an intimate and informal discussion with all the inductees the night before the main event. You'll hear from the greatest centre-fielder in Blue Jays history, Devon White, accompanied by his predecessor at the position, Lloyd Moseby. Baseball Canada icon Stubby Clapp is joined by his ex-teammates Steve Green and Jeremy Ware. Arguably the greatest female player this country has ever produced, Kate Psota, joins us, and the evening wraps up with Bill Stoneman, who threw two no-hitters for the Montreal Expos, and Paul Runge, a 25-year National League umpire who brought the house down with a couple of great stories.

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 Scherzer - before the back spasms landed him back on the injured list - about being a father on and off the field. First and foremost to his four children, but also as the 19-year big-league veteran who serves as a father figure to his younger teammates. Chad Dallas, just recalled to the Jays this week, joins us to talk about his (so far) only big-league outing, in which he notched the win in his major-league debut, and also to share memories of his late father Tony, lost to ALS last year. On the weekend, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame will add six new inductees, including Blue Jays great Devon White and Baseball Canada icons Stubby Clapp and Kate Psota. We're joined by one of the co-chairs of the Hall's board of directors, Cathy Landolt, to fill us in on induction weekend. All that, plus a dip into the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 the team's best hitters so far this season. Kevin Gausman, the only Jays' pitcher to have not yet missed a start this season, joins us to share his thoughts about the team being under .500 but very much in the playoff race as the first day of summer approaches. Gausman also talks about some of his more lightning-rod-type teammates, including Jeff Hoffman, George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Tim Mayza was back in Toronto this week, but the one-time longest-tenured Blue Jay is now a Philadelphia Phillie. The left-hander reminisces about his Jays days and talks about the ups and downs of life as a reliever in the big leagues. All that, plus a deep dive into the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 them hitting a massive post-season home run for the franchise in back-to-back seasons. You'll meet right-hander Chad Dallas, who is expected to make his major-league debut for the Jays on Thursday night in Atlanta, and we'll step into the wayback machine to bring you a conversation with the newly-reacquired Simeon Woods Richardson. We spoke to Richardson when he was a Jays' farmhand in 2021, about to pitch for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics and only weeks away from being traded to the Minnesota Twins in the Jose Berrios deal. All that, plus your thoughts in the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 reached the one-third mark of the season, so we called upon associate manager Demarlo Hale to discuss what he's seen from the team, how they've done in dealing with a ton of adversity, and what he expects to see over the next 54 games. We'll share that conversation with you. We're joined by Toronto's own Liam Hicks, who is off to a terrific start in his sophomore season in the big leagues, to discuss his first-ever big-league experience in his own backyard. With the Jays' roster in constant flux, the next man up is likely to be infielder Charles McAdoo. We'll introduce you to the new guy. All this, plus a dip into the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 couple of rookies and a long-time veteran. Kazuma Okamoto joins us to discuss the up-and-down start to his big-league career and the transition to life in North America, as well as various and sundry dugout snacks. Yohendrick Pinango talks about his first month in the majors and his extremely eye-catching neck tattoo. And we check in with lefty Joe Mantiply, in his 15th season in professional baseball but first with the Jays, about his early-season success (now on hold thanks to a trip to the injured list) and about pitching to young catcher Daulton Varsho when they were both with the Arizona Diamondbacks. All that plus a dip into the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 television between innings!), and how last season's late-May rebound weighs into the Jays' feelings about this season's issues. With the Angels having been in town, we catch up with a couple of old friends. Two-time Jays skipper John Gibbons sits down for a trip down memory lane and we chat with Alek Manoah about his return to the big leagues in his old home ballpark, as well as his meteoric rise with the Jays and the fall that sees him with his third different team in eight months. All that, plus your thoughts in the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 celebration of the Jays' 50th season, we talk to Shannon Stewart, one of the greatest pure hitters in the history of the team, and hear his memories of those mid-'90s to early 2000s teams for which he played such a big part.   We introduce you to Drew Butera, the Jays' new catching coach, and discuss his role on the team that he helped knock out of the playoffs as a member of the 2015 Kansas City Royals.   Young Canadian Erik Sabrowski joins us as well. The Edmonton, AB native has posted a sparkling 1.55 ERA through the first 59 appearances of his big-league career.   All that, plus the mailbag at [email protected]!

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, posting a 2.87 ERA through six starts, leading the American League in strikeouts and not having allowed a home run yet. He joins us to talk about the first month of his seven years as a Blue Jay, how he feels he's performing, what he's seen from his new team and why he always looks over at third base before releasing the ball. Brandon Valenzuela has been a big-leaguer for just about a month now, and we check in with the rookie catcher to talk about the work he's doing in the batters' box, filling the shoes of Alejandro Kirk and just how much he likes the ABS system. Also, we catch up with Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who had a rough final outing as a Blue Jay in Game 7 of the World Series. All that, plus your thoughts in the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 from Trey Yesavage after a truncated rehab start, check in with Brendon Little to see how he's dealing with life away from big-league pressure, and catch up with lefty Adam Macko after a strong World Baseball Classic for Canada and terrific start to the minor-league season. All that, plus a dip into the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 struggling with a bug that's tearing through the clubhouse. Eric Lauer believes he may have been Patient Zero for what he calls the "Flu Jays," and he joins us to talk about the team's rough start as they suffer through illness and injury. We meet the new guy, 35-year-old Joe Mantiply, who is here to help stabilize the bullpen with Brendon Little having been shipped out to Buffalo. Former Jay Chris Woodward, now first-base coach of the L.A. Dodgers, stops by to talk about winning the World Series at his former home and to reminisce about the early-2000s Jays teams he was a part of. All that plus the mailbag at [email protected]!

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. MLB analysts have discussed it, online community groups have debated it, and according to the numbers, Championship Win Probability Added (cWPA) changed win probability more times than in any other game in history. The only thing that game was missing was a walk-off win. Had that happened you can all but guarantee more Canadians would have supported the idea of it being the greatest baseball game in history since it would have meant their team came out on top. Toronto Star baseball columnists Mike Wilner and Gregor Chisholm break down some of the plays and analytics within what is undoubtedly in the conversation as one of the greatest baseball games — and World Series — ever played. Editor's note: You can watch this as a video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJyTXYJwivQ 

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 pitchers at the absolute opposite ends of the spectrum. Max Scherzer is starting his 19th season in the big leagues and is ticketed for immortality in Cooperstown when he's done. Spencer Miles is a rookie, selected in the Rule 5 draft, who still hasn't hit the 25-inning mark as a professional. Incredibly, the two hurlers are linked by a Missouri snowstorm. They both tell us that story. Also, Pickering's own Denzel Clarke made an opening day roster for the first time in his career, after playing for Canada at the World Baseball Classic for the second time. We catch up with the centre field magician as we look out at the stands where he saw his first big-league game. All that, plus the mailbag at [email protected]!

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.

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 the major leagues last year. He also talks about the impact Toronto has made on him over the course of the five-year contract that ends this season, his new teammates, the honour of pitching on opening day and more. We also look at the Jays' season-opening roster, officialized Wednesday, discuss club president Mark Shapiro's media availability and open up the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 the Jays with 32 home runs and finish third in the majors in OPS - behind only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. In the post-season, his go-ahead three-run home run in Game 7 of the American League championship series propelled the Jays into the Fall Classic and stands as one of the biggest round-trippers in Jays history. Addison Barger didn't even make the team out of spring training last year, but wound up hitting 21 home runs, third on the Jays behind Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. In his first career post-season, he belted the only pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history and hit .480 over the seven games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Springer and Barger join us to talk about that magical playoff run and to look ahead to the new season that begins Friday night. All that, plus your thoughts in the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 Saturday afternoon against the Athletics at Rogers Centre.   Cease joins us to talk about choosing Toronto, what he expects from his seven years here and fills us in on several of his interesting hobbies.   We also hear from Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage, two pitchers who joined the Jays late last season and made a huge impact on their run to the World Series. Both of them will start the season on the injured list.   Bieber talks about picking up his player option to stay with the Jays and how his winter went after giving up the World-Series-winning home run in Game 7 while Yesavage takes us through his meteoric rise and record-setting post-season.   All that, plus the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 of the organization, joins us to talk about how dreams of Game 7 of the World Series interrupted his sleep during the winter, how he remembers the playoff run, how he has grown as a manager and much more. In the wide-ranging conversation, we touch on the post-season brilliance of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Trey Yesavage, among others, the departure of Bo Bichette, how Schneider thinks the Jays can improve on what they did last year among many other things. The mailbag is always open at [email protected] - make sure to have your voice heard during this busy week of daily podcasts!

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 couple of new Blue Jays: Taylor Rogers, the submarining right-hander signed to a $37 million (US) contract in December, has been one of the best set-up men in the game for the past five years. Now his home ballpark has his name on all the trash cans. Chase Lee was acquired in a much more below-the-radar transaction, a December trade with the Detroit Tigers, but he's someone you'll want to get to know. A sidearm righty who didn't make his college baseball team as a freshman but had a 1.098 WHIP as a rookie in the big leagues and also has a degree in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics. Also, meet Arjun Nimmala, one of the top-100 prospects in all of baseball and the Jays' first round pick in 2023! All that, plus the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 Jays' magical playoff run last season and what he thinks of his team going into 2026 as his half-billion dollar (US) contract kicks in. With Team Canada having played a pair of games to prepare for the World Baseball Classic, which begins (for them) Saturday morning in Puerto Rico, we get the inside scoop on their attempt to finally break through and make it out of the first round of the WBC. Michael Soroka (Calgary, AB) will start that first game against Colombia. He and former Blue Jay Russell Martin (East York, Ont.), who will be coaching first base for Canada, fill us in on everything you need to know about the red and white! Plus, we open up the mailbag at [email protected]! 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: 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 World Series ring, and he reflects on that moment in an open, vulnerable and candid conversation - the first such interview he's done since last year's crushing loss. We open up the mailbag at [email protected] as well, for your comments and questions!

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 one-year deal early Thursday morning. Andres Gimenez will be the Jays' starting shortstop this season. It's a move back to his original position, and one he played very well in the absence of Bo Bichette down the stretch and into the playoffs. Gimenez talks to us about shifting back to the other side of second base and what he needs to do to improve his offence. Leo Jimenez is out of options, and in a make-or-break position to break camp as the back-up infielder or be put through waivers after a lost 2025 because of illness and injury. We catch up with the youngster, who was solid for the Jays in 2024, to talk about how he's dealing with the pressure. And we play "meet the new guy" with Eloy Jimenez, a one-time top prospect who exploded onto the big-league scene with 47 home runs over his first 173 career games before running into the injury bug - hard - for five years. Here on a minor-league contract, he's off to a sensational start to the spring. All this plus the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 Anthony Santander didn't have his shoulder surgery much earlier and how Eric Lauer feels about being overlooked for a spot in the Jays' rotation once again. Also, we get into the wayback machine as the Jays get set for their 50th anniversary season and talk to Alan Ashby, who caught 124 games in the Blue Jays inaugural season, 1977. All that plus a dip into the mailbag at [email protected]!

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. Stubby Clapp, perhaps the living embodiment of the Canadian national team player. Kate Psota, one of the first superstar women's players in modern history. Bill Stoneman, who threw the first of his two no-hitters for the Montreal Expos in the ninth game in franchise history. Paul Runge, a St. Catharines, Ont. native who spent a quarter-century as a major-league umpire, including working the 1993 World Series between the Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies. All those immortals of Canadian baseball, plus your thoughts in the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 questions about 2027 loom large and we have convened a Deep Left Field panel to try to answer them. What do the owners want? What about the players? How united is each side? Will there be a work stoppage - the first since the 1994 strike - that delays the start of the 2027 season or worse? My Blue Jays beat partner Gregor Chisholm and longtime Yankees' columnist Ken Davidoff, author of the new book "101 Lessons From The Dugout" join me and we try to figure things out. All this, plus your thoughts and questions in the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 Tong, Denzel Clarke, who made MLB's catch of the year in Anaheim as a rookie last summer and Russell Martin, who discussed having two of his old teams facing off in the World Series (and having to pretend to be rooting for both). Plus, my take on the Cooperstown Class of 2026 and your thoughts in the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 about Bichette moving on, what the Jays could have done differently and where they go from here. Plus, we open the mailbag at [email protected] for your thoughts on the move!

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 fills us in on the pitch he made to Bo Bichette to stay with the Jays during Bichette's wedding. Also, the 2025 Blue Jays were given a Special Recognition Award at last weekend's Baseball Canada awards banquet. Ross Atkins joined me on stage to accept the award and for an interview, which you can hear here. Plus, as always, we open the mailbag at [email protected]!

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-personal scouting report on the Jays' $60 million (US) man, as well as some memories of playing with 20-year-old Vladimir Guerrero Jr. You'll also hear highlights of Okamoto's introductory news conference, where the six-time Japanese all-star talked about what brought him to Toronto and how he expects to contribute and also showed off his sneaky sense of humour. And, as always, we open up the mailbag at [email protected] to hear from you! 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.

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 questions, plus a dip into the mailbag at [email protected], are all here for you on our first special bonus episode of 2026!

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 his two teams square off in one of the greatest World Series of all time.   Strip also fills us in on what the Jays picked up when they signed reliever Tyler Rogers earlier this month, given that they were teammates in San Francisco in 2023.   As always, we open up the mailbag at [email protected] so that your voice can be heard! This week, we hear some reflections on 2025 and answer questions about Jose Berrios, the still-unresolved free agency of Bo Bichette and more!

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 post-season run and how he's handling the Blue Jays' loss in Game 7 of the World Series. And, as always, we open the mailbag at [email protected] (our inbox is always open) to hear your thoughts including, of course, questions about Bo Bichette's still-unresolved free agency.

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 the Jays, his relationship with Hyun-Jin Ryu, what's changed since he was drummed out of the big leagues in 2021 and his deep and abiding love for all things Star Wars. Also, Jay Jackson joins us to give us an update on baby JR, who spent the first few months of his life in the NICU while his dad was pitching for the Blue Jays and is now a healthy, happy 2 1/2-year-old. Jackson also fills us in on new Jays acquisition Tyler Rogers, with whom he pitched for the San Francisco Giants in 2021, and gives some straight talk on how he believes the Jays have handled Bo Bichette's free agency so far. Plus, we open the mailbag at [email protected] - keep those cards and letters coming!

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 other things. We also hear from newly-elected Hall of Famer Jeff Kent, baseball's all-time leader in home runs by a second baseman. Kent was drafted and developed by the Jays and, until he was traded for David Cone in August, was the only rookie on the eventual World Series champion 1992 Blue Jays for most of the season. And, as always, we open up the mailbag at [email protected] to hear from you!

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. Ash was the Blue Jays' GM from 1995-2001 after working under Pat Gillick for six seasons. We also take you across the world to South Korea, where the Jays dove into the international market and pulled out right-hander Cody Ponce, who had a record-setting season with the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO, winning the pitching triple crown while establishing new league marks in ERA and strikeouts. Jee-ho Yoo, who spent his university days in Toronto, joins us from the far east to tell us what he saw from Ponce this season and what Jays fans can expect. And, as always, we open up the mailbag at [email protected]

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 baseball beat, to talk about the deal and what it means as the Jays go into their first off-season as pennant winners in over 30 years. And about Cease and what he brings to the team as well. Also, Ted Kalnins talks about what used to be the semi-pro Intercounty Baseball League, now re-branded as the Canadian Baseball League, one that's fully professional. Plus, we open up the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 Nunez join us to talk about their memories and feelings about the Jays' magical 2025 that saw them get within two outs of winning the World Series, and we look ahead to the off-season with an eye on Bo Bichette and whether or not the Jays should keep the whole gang together in an attempt to run it back. Also, Madden fills us in on what it's like to sing the anthems at a Jays game. The mailbag is always open at [email protected]!

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 World Series for the first time this season and he discusses what they could have done better in the late innings of Game 7, but also compares this Jays team to his old Yankees teams in the mid-90s that would go on to build a dynasty. Also, as always, we open up the mailbag at [email protected]!