Exit Philosophy with Griff and Mal

The AL Wild Card race is WILD — and with just 21 games remaining, the Toronto Blue Jays are right in the middle of the fight to become the best mediocre team in the American League.
On this episode of Exit Philosophy, Griff and Mal break down the chaotic Wild Card race. Who are the real contenders, which teams have fallen out, and can the Blue Jays actually make a playoff run?
The boys also examine the Jays' injury situation. Do Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and Anthony Santander have enough time to return from injury and become factors down the stretch?
The Blue Jays' series against Cleveland was filled with fundamental mistakes, defensive lapses and throwing errors, reigniting a bigger debate about the direction of baseball. Is the sport putting too much emphasis on athleticism and getting young players to the major leagues before they are truly ready — and has the importance of fundamentals been lost?
Finally, Griff and Mal dive into MLB labour relations, discussing the strategies players and owners could use as baseball heads toward what could be an inevitable off-season showdown.
 Wild Card chaos. Injuries. Fundamentals. Player development. MLB labour. It's all on the table.
Subscribe to Exit Philosophy with Griff & Mal and join the conversation
INDEX:
0:00 - Intro
1:15 - Wild AL Wild Card Race + Blue Jays Outlook and Chances
30:25 - Is there a baseball fundamentals problem in the big leagues? + Athleticism reigns supreme
42:40 - MLB News and Notes
1:02:20 - Outro
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Get the video version of "Exit Philosophy" and "Conversations with Griff" on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@ExitPhilosophy
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For the full catalogue of Richard Griffin's work, including weekly Blue Jays/MLB columns, a weekly MLB Power Rankings column, exclusive conversations with some of the game's greats, past and present, and the Exit Philosophy podcast, visit https://www.griffsthepitch.com/

The playoff clock is ticking for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays, with fan frustration boiling over after Thursday's loss to the Royals. Should Toronto shift its goal to simply finishing the season at .500?
Griff and Mal also discuss Michael Lorenzen's long road back, Brett Bateman's surprising emergence and his potential importance to the 2027 Blue Jays, while paying tribute to Buck Martinez and remembering legendary Expos broadcaster Jacques Doucet.
All that and more on Exit Philosophy.
INDEX:
0:00 -Intro
0:40 - Buck Martinez Day Celebration
7:50 - R.I.P. Jacques Doucet
16:50 - KC Royals Series Debacle + Michael Lorenzen
27:48 - The Fans are Booing Vlad + What is the Solution?
38:40 - The AL Wildcard Picture
48:40 - Is Brett Bateman the Starting CF in 2027?
52:12 - 2027 Pitching Staff
57:13 - MLB News
1:01:25 - Outro
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Get the video version of "Exit Philosophy" and "Conversations with Griff" on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@ExitPhilosophy
----
For the full catalogue of Richard Griffin's work, including weekly Blue Jays/MLB columns, a weekly MLB Power Rankings column, exclusive conversations with some of the game's greats, past and present, and the Exit Philosophy podcast, visit https://www.griffsthepitch.com/

The Toronto Blue Jays enter the final 36 games of the MLB season in a seven-team race for the final American League Wild Card spot. What are the Jays' realistic playoff chances, are they better after the trade deadline, and how should Ross Atkins be graded for his unique approach as both buyers and sellers?
Would an 81-win, .500 season be enough for Blue Jays fans? Plus, we discuss Tommy John's Hall of Fame case, Ricky Tiedemann's future, Brett Bateman's potential, and the Blue Jays' playoff push on this week's Exit Philosophy.
#TorontoBlueJays #MLB #Sports #BaseballPodcasts
INDEX:
0:00 Intro

0:31 Tommy John RIP

7:58 Jays' Wild Card Hopes

10:54 The Tropicana Field Curse

12:44 Are the Final 30 Games Easy?

14:41 The Math Problem

16:07 Is .500 Good Enough?

17:17 Fixing the Offense

19:44 Ranking the 7 Wild Card Contenders

22:01 2025 vs. 2026 Jays

33:33 Who Is Brett Bateman?

37:27 What Is an MLB "Gruelling" Schedule?

45:09 Grading Ross Atkins' Trade Deadline

50:24 Tiedemann, Estrada & Jays' Farm System

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Get the video version of "Exit Philosophy" and "Conversations with Griff" on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@ExitPhilosophy
----
For the full catalogue of Richard Griffin's work, including weekly Blue Jays/MLB columns, a weekly MLB Power Rankings column, exclusive conversations with some of the game's greats, past and present, and the Exit Philosophy podcast, visit https://www.griffsthepitch.com/

The Toronto Blue Jays are entering a critical stretch of the MLB season, and Griff and Mal break down everything surrounding the Jays' playoff push. After a controversial "fourth out" play against the Boston Red Sox, the guys explain one of baseball's most confusing rules, why the umpires got the call right, and how the Blue Jays' defense ultimately cost them a run in an important game.

Exit Philosophy also takes an in-depth look at the Blue Jays' MLB Trade Deadline moves, including the impact those additions have on Toronto's luxury tax situation, the current Wild Card race, and the team's plans for 2027 and beyond.

With Toronto chasing the third American League Wild Card spot, Griff and Mal examine how realistic a Blue Jays playoff run really is. The Jays would need to put together a 42-game stretch at a winning pace they have yet to match at any point this season. Can Toronto make the push, and what would it take to get there?

Plus, the guys wrap up the episode with a look at the Niagara Ironbacks' successful second season, as the team narrowly missed the playoffs after overcoming a difficult inaugural year.

Topics include: Toronto Blue Jays, Blue Jays playoff push, MLB Trade Deadline, Blue Jays trade deadline, American League Wild Card, MLB luxury tax, fourth out rule, Blue Jays vs Red Sox, Blue Jays defense, Toronto Blue Jays 2027, Blue Jays roster, MLB playoffs, Niagara Ironbacks and Exit Philosophy.

INDEX:
 
0:00 - Return to the Pod
0:43 - Confusion in Blue Jays and Red Sox Game
6:00 - Continued Concerns with the Bullpen
6:50 - Trade Deadline Strategy.. Did They Get It Right?
15:43 - How did the Blue Jays get here in 2026 + Vlads Performance
21:30 - Trade Deadline Moves Analyzed
29:45 - 2027 Rotation
39:05 - MLB Playoff Picture
49:10 - Judging John Schneider
51:50 - Ironbacks Season Review from GM and Manager
57:15 - Final thoughts




#BlueJays #TorontoBlueJays #MLB #VladimirGuerreroJr #MaxScherzer #GeorgeSpringer #AlejandroKirk #MLBPodcast #BaseballPodcast #BlueJaysNation #ExitPhilosophy #MLBTradeDeadline #TorontoSports #BaseballAnalysis #JaysTalk

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Get the video version of "Exit Philosophy" and "Conversations with Griff" on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@ExitPhilosophy
----
For the full catalogue of Richard Griffin's work, including weekly Blue Jays/MLB columns, a weekly MLB Power Rankings column, exclusive conversations with some of the game's greats, past and present, and the Exit Philosophy podcast, visit https://www.griffsthepitch.com/

The Toronto Blue Jays are getting healthier, but new questions continue to emerge. Max Scherzer's long-awaited return to the rotation didn't go as planned, raising concerns about what the future Hall of Famer can realistically provide down the stretch.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s offensive struggles remain a major talking point among Blue Jays fans. Can Vlad rediscover his elite form? And after another inconsistent stretch, should George Springer continue to be an everyday player in Toronto's lineup?
On this episode of Exit Philosophy, Griff and Mal break down the biggest surprises and disappointments of the Blue Jays season so far. From unexpected contributors to underperforming stars, they examine why Toronto's list of concerns has grown for a team with playoff aspirations.
They also discuss:
Max Scherzer's return and what it means for the rotation

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s ongoing struggles

George Springer's role moving forward

The Blue Jays' biggest surprises and disappointments

Whether Toronto needs another high-leverage bullpen arm

Yimi Garcia's potential return

The catching situation between Alejandro Kirk, Tyler Heineman, and Brandon Valenzuela

What the Blue Jays need to do to stay in the playoff race

If you're a Toronto Blue Jays fan looking for in-depth analysis, roster discussion, trade deadline talk, and the latest MLB news, this episode is for you.
#BlueJays #TorontoBlueJays #MLB #VladimirGuerreroJr #MaxScherzer #GeorgeSpringer #AlejandroKirk #MLBPodcast #BaseballPodcast #BlueJaysNation #ExitPhilosophy #MLBTradeDeadline #TorontoSports #BaseballAnalysis #JaysTalk

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Get the video version of "Exit Philosophy" and "Conversations with Griff" on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@ExitPhilosophy
----
For the full catalogue of Richard Griffin's work, including weekly Blue Jays/MLB columns, a weekly MLB Power Rankings column, exclusive conversations with some of the game's greats, past and present, and the Exit Philosophy podcast, visit https://www.griffsthepitch.com/