Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

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 made what he hopes will be his only rehab start for the Buffalo Bisons on September 15. The right-hander tells us what he thought of the five-batter, 34-pitch outing. As well, we'll introduce you to Josh Stephan, one of several young starting pitchers acquired by the Jays at the August 3 trade deadline. He came over from the Texas Rangers, along with Josh Smith, for Adam Macko. All that, plus your thoughts, comments and questions in the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca !

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 seasons. We also have an expansive mailbag segment, making sure that you get your voice heard at deepleftfield@thestar.ca , touching on the playoff race, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s struggles, answering the question of who is the fastest Blue Jay and more! And we're thrilled to be joined by the man whose name rests atop almost all the major categories in the Blue Jays offensive record book. Carlos Delgado stops by to talk Hall of Excellence, his Jays years and more!

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 breakout game in an 11-0 pounding of the Guardians. Right-hander Jameson Taillon, who will start Friday's series opener in Kansas City, joins us to discuss his deep Canadian connection and to talk, honestly and openly, about his struggles with the Chicago Cubs this season. We hear from Sean Keys, a rookie enjoying a playoff race in his first taste of the big leagues, and a pair of veterans - relievers Joe Mantiply and Paul Sewald - who were teammates on the 2023 Arizona Diamondbacks, a team that got all the way to the World Series after sneaking into the post-season in the last wild card spot. All that, plus your thoughts in the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca!

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 daily basis. We look back at the Jays' 3-3 Week That Was, with an emphasis on the Shane Bieber injury news that has made the climb toward a playoff position that much more difficult. Dylan Cease joins us, possibly on the way to a Cy Young award, to talk about what the Jays have to do in September to make it back to the post-season. He also discusses his artistic endeavours, with his work currently on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario, and how much he's gotten to explore Toronto in the first season of his seven-year deal with the Jays. Buck Martinez is being inducted into the Jays' new Hall of Excellence on the weekend, and the iconic Jays player and broadcaster, who also managed the team for 215 games, joins us to reflect on an incredible career that is more than deserving of Blue Jays immortality. Plus, a dip into the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca!

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 of the final wild card spot in the AL. We talk to Canadian icon of stage and screen - and huge Blue Jays fan - Paul Sun-Hyung Lee about everything that the Jays and their fans have gone through this season, with a special emphasis on Wednesday night's Jesus Sanchez Experience. Also a look back at the Jays' week that was and a dip into the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca!

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 5 rookie Spencer Miles about notching his first big-league save Tuesday night against the Boston Red Sox. And we are thrilled to have Joey Votto join us for a wide-ranging conversation about his post-retirement life, how he worked to become one of the greatest hitters Canada has ever produced and what he thinks has gone wrong with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s season. All that, plus your thoughts in the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca!

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 might be our last conversation with the right-hander for a while. He compares Wrigley to the Rogers Centre, reiterates his love for Toronto but also says how happy he is to be in a winning situation in Chicago. We also speak to former Blue Jay and now Cubs pitcher Trent Thornton, who raves about his new team's acquisition of Gausman and looks back at his own Jays days, plus one of the new Jays acquired at the trade deadline, infielder Josh Smith, joins us to introduce himself to the masses. All that, plus your Bluejays comments and questions in the mailbag at deepleftfield@the star.ca!

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 the Year Daulton Varsho, along with left-hander Adam Macko and former top prospect Arjun Nimmala and they picked up potential all-star starter Jose Soriano, utility player Josh Smith and a whole bunch of very similar-looking young players, both pitchers and position players, plus one kid who stands out from the rest, a 20-year-old left-hander who throws 99 miles per hour named Dasan Hill. Gregor Chisholm and I break down the Jays' deadline and explain what they were trying to accomplish and how we think they did. We also take a dip into the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca!

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 August 3 trade deadline. Hale talks about what's gone wrong, what can and can't be fixed, and what he's looking for from the team over the season's final third. Also, we dive into the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca for your thoughts on Kevin Gausman's potential exit, the effect of Bo Bichette's departure, the upcoming trade deadline and more!

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 deepleftfield@thestar.ca 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 deepleftfield@thestar.ca !

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 deepleftfield@thestar.ca!

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 deepleftfield@thestar.ca!

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 deepleftfield@thestar.ca 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 deepleftfield@thestar.ca!

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 deepleftfield@thestar.ca!

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 deepleftfield@thestar.ca!

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 deepleftfield@thestar.ca!