Blair & Barker

Blair and Barker are joined by ESPN's MLB insider and Host of Sources Tell Jeff Passan (1:06) to give an early look at the 2027 Blue Jays opening day roster, who overlaps from the 2026 squad, the upcoming free agency class, why it's too early to give up on Vladimir Guerrero Jr., if Bo Bichette believes he can win in New York, the potential of him opting out of his new contract, and the future of the aging L.A. Dodgers' roster. Then, Jeff and Kevin head to the Back-Leg Line to hear from listeners after the Blue Jays lost their road series against the Athletics.
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On the off-day edition, Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker start with a look back on the Blue Jays' series loss to the Athletics. They discuss the Jays' bats going quiet in the series finale, whether they could make the playoffs without Vladimir Guerrero Jr. contributing offensively, the significance of the upcoming series against the Orioles, and Alejandro Kirk's missed opportunity on the basepaths. Later, Blue Jays Central's Caleb Joseph stops by (31:12) to share his takeaways from the Jays' road trip, the vibe in the clubhouse after a frustrating series, why Vladdy's struggles are more 'between the ears' than mechanical, and how Dylan Cease can manage through his dropping velocity.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

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Kevin Barker's former skipper and current Nashville Sounds, Milwaukee Brewers AAA Affiliate manager Rick Sweet (12:00) joins the guys to chat about how he has dealt with players who've had struggles both in their at-bats and on defence, how difficult is it to throw and manage a no-hitter after former Blue Jay Thomas Pannone made history in International League history, and the biggest changes in managing a team since he first started up till today. Then, L.A. Times national MLB writer Bill Shaikin joins the guys (31:36) to discuss what it means for the Angels to have a fresh start with new owner Stan Kroenke, the future for the city of Anaheim, the differences between the Dodgers and Angels, if Stan would be willing to pay Mike Trout, if Shohei Ohtani will pitch a game again, and if the age and mileage is catching up to the Dodgers.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker look back on the Blue Jays' series-opening loss to the A's in Sacramento, including Dylan Cease's worrying drop in velocity, another quiet offensive game from Vladdy Jr., and whether Kazuma Okamoto can be an everyday third baseman for a championship team. Then, A's analyst and former MLB pitcher Dallas Braden (14:30) shares his thoughts on Cease's velo dip, Henry Bolte's potential, and the ceiling of a healthy A's team in 2027. Later, former Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero (29:52) weighs in on what's behind Cease's recent dip, why he's not overly concerned after the rocky start against the A's, José Soriano's evolution with the Jays, and Tyler Rogers' reliability.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

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Radio voice of the Athletics Ken Korach (3:55) joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to chat about the expectations of the A's heading into the 2026 campaign and how it has turned out into September, playing in a temporary ball park in West Sacramento, manager Mark Kotsay's message to the clubhouse handling the inconsistencies between the win and loss columns, who stands out in their order, and if Kotsay will be the manager of the future when the team heads to Las Vegas. Then, national MLB writer for USA Today's Bob Nightengale stops by (30:34) to take a deeper dive into MLB's proposed rules for the next agreement including adding an extra roster spot for pitchers, modifying the use of position players pitching, how the L.A. Dodgers handle Shohei Ohtani's future in pitching, concerns of their team's performance towards the end of the year, and if Mike Trout has done enough for a future hall of fame entry despite his down trajectory in recent seasons.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.