Bat Flips and Maple Dips - A Toronto Blue Jays Podcast

Coming off of their 4th straight series win the Toronto Blue Jays enter the most difficult part of their schedule. They will see the Red Sox and Yankees at home before heading out on the road to face the Rays and Yankees again. At the end of this two week divisional gauntlet we will know whether or not this team has it in them to make a run towards a playoff spot, or if they need to pivot to auditioning players for 2027 and beyond.

With the Trade Deadline in the rearview mirror Justin and Patrick convene to assess the moves made by the Toronto Blue Jays. Out are Kevin Gausman, Daulton Varsho, Jeff Hoffman and top prospect Arjun Nimmala. In are Jose Soriano, Josh Smith, Jameson Taillon and a handful of prospects. Did the Jays do enough? Is there still a chance at competing down the stretch?

On the eve of the 2026 Trade Deadline Justin and Patrick get together to discuss what the Blue Jays are going to do. Will they trade Kevin Gausman? What happens to Daulton Varsho and George Springer? Is there a market for Shane Bieber? The Jays should look at acquiring high potential young players with team control beyond 2027 to try to rebuild the core of the roster.

Justin and Patrick return to discuss the impending doom of the universe...I mean the Toronto Blue Jays. The guys look at the roster and highlight the players who need to be traded, and the ones who should be moved before the August 3rd trade deadline.

With the Toronto Blue Jays in the midst of a depressing season, Justin and Patrick take a break to do something fun. The guys rank baseball pitches on a tier list and pick what their mix would be if they were starting pitchers. Let us know your pitch mix in the comments!

After a series win against the Giants that ended with a near no-hitter by Dylan Cease the Toronto Blue Jays find themselves in an interesting spot. Justin and Patrick discuss what the upcoming schedule looks like and what the team needs to do the rest of the way, and the players who need to step up in order for them to achieve their goal.

After a two week hiatus due to illness Justin and Patrick return to assess the damage done to the Toronto Blue Jays over that span, largely by themselves. The team got smoked in Seattle after a tough homestand and find themselves 6 games below .500 with 6 games to play before the All Star Game. The guys discuss who the Jays should trade away before the deadline on August 3rd, a weak(er) free agent class this winter, and what the next competitive window for the Jays could look like.

With the series finale rained out between the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs, Justin and Patrick recap the two-game split, discuss trade news and targets, the rotation, Houston Astros, and play some more trivia. Shane Bieber will return this week. Yimi Garcia could be close behind if his rehab outing goes well. The guys discuss potential moves and roster constraints.

After a glorious sweep of the Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays head to Wrigley Field with another chance to return to the .500 mark as the mid-way point of the season approaches. Justin and Patrick discuss the sweep and dive into what made it happen, including an outstanding bullpen day in game 2. The guys then preview the 3-game set on the North Side of Chicago with the Cubs.

Coming off a series loss aginst the New York Yankees that the Toronto Blue Jays could have swept, Justin and Patrick dive into the numbers. The Blue Jays simply turn into different hitters with RISP, forgetting how to do even the most simple things at the plate. The guys discuss lineup construction including not starting George Springer against RHP until he heats up, and why the Jays aren't moving Ernie Clement into the top 2 spots on a regular basis.

Justin and Patrick are back following a series win for the Toronto Blue Jays over the Baltimore Orioles. Ernie Clement and Brandon Valenzuela came up big with the bats, and Louis Varland picked up two more saves. The guys dicuss the current lineup construction, bullpen roster spots, and what the team will do when they activate Cease and Scherzer. With the Phillies coming to town for three games, the Blue Jays will see one of the best pitching staffs in the league and will face Christopher Sanchez in Monday's series opener.

Justin and Patrick return after the Toronto Blue Jays split the weekend series with the Baltimore Orioles. The Jays had a great comeback in game 2 and then immediately returned the favour in game 3 after Jeff Hoffman couldn't protect a 4-run lead in the 9th. The guys recapthe series, talk June goals for the Jays, play a game about old stadiums, and then preview the upcoming test that will be the Atlanta Braves.

The Toronto Blue Jays completed a series win over the Miami Marlins thanks to strong pitching and big performances from Nathan Lukes and Kazuma Okamoto. Justin and Patrick dive into the series and then preview the upcoming 4-game set with the Orioles. The guys discuss the current Jays rotation issues and how they are going to get through the next few weeks. To lead off the show Patrick quizzes Justin on MLB's all-time strikeout leaders.

Dylan Cease has hit the IL for the first time in his career. As the news hit during the recording session, Justin and Patrick discuss the ramifications. Vladdy took a pitch to the elbow and is out of the lineup today, but it isn't a serious concern. He should be back in soon. The guys preview the pitching matchups with the Marlins, and play a fun trivia game to open the show.

Ahead of a weekend hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates, Justin and Patrick recap the series split with the New York Yankees that capped off a 4-3 road trip for the Toronto Blue Jays. The guys discuss the brilliant pitching performances of Trey Yesavage, Spencer Miles, Adam Macko and the majority of the bullpen. The guys preview the pitching matchups that feature Gausman and Cease for the Jays on Friday and Sunday, and Paul Skenes for the Pirates on Saturday.

Fresh off of a series win in Detroit against the Tigers, the Toronto Blue Jays are heading the Bronx for a four game set with the New York Yankees. The Yankees have power and to win the series the Jays pitchers will need to limit the long ball as much as possible. Justin and Patrick break down the pitching matchups and pick their x-factors for the series. The guys begin the episode by discussing Yohendrick Pinango, George Springer, Tyler Heineman, and Brandon Valenzuela.

After Daulton Varsho delivered a walk-off grand slam Justin and Patrick return to discuss if this could be the turning point in what has been a frustating offensive stretch for the Toronto Blue Jays. The schedule gets tough with a road trip through Detroit and the Bronx, and the Jays are projected to see some tough starting pitching over the next two weeks. Can they climb out of the muck in the American League?

Justin and Patrick return following a Blue Jays series win against the Angels. The main point of focus, however, is Eric Lauer. He continues to struggle with no end in sight. The guys discuss what the Jays should do with him and a few players in Buffalo who could likely provide more.

Kazuma Okamoto hit 4 home runs, the Toronto Blue Jays scored 8 runs in one inning...and they split the set with the Minnesota Twins. The Jays struggled with runners in scoring position again, and Tyler Heineman was removed as a "manager's decision" in the series finale. Justin and Patrick recap the series and preview the upcoming test against the Tampa Bay Rays under the rebuilt roof at the Trop.

The Toronto Blue Jays have won 3 series in a row. Trey Yesavage returned and helped deliver and win in game 2, and the bats got to Brayan Bello and the Boston bullpen for an 8-1 win in game 3. Justin and Patrick discuss the hot and cold hitters on the team, and preview a big 4-game set in the Twin Cities.