Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

Guests: Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano and starter Kevin Gausman, Los Angeles Dodgers/Baseball Canada slugger Freddie Freeman This week, we celebrate Markham’s own Jordan Romano joining the 100-save club, check in with Kevin Gausman for an in-depth look at the Blue Jays’ disappointing first month of the season and catch up with all-star Freddie Freeman, who honours his late mother by suiting up for Team Canada. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

As Shohei Ohtani weekend comes to a close, we answer your questions about where the Blue Jays stand one month into the season. What’s wrong with the offence? Should Vladdy be given a few games off? How safe is Ross Atkins? What about the hitting coaches? Do clutch players exist? Are the Jays at risk of losing their fan base? All these and so much more!

Guests: Former Blue Jay pitcher Ross Stripling and Colorado manager and ex-Jay Bud Black This week, we give you “Long Toss With Ross” once again, as Ross Stripling joins us to talk about his tough start to the season with the Oakland A’s. We catch up with Rockies’ manager Bud Black, a Blue Jay for two weeks in the pennant race of 1990, and talk about the glory days and his part in breaking Jays’ fans hearts while with the 1985 Kansas City Royals. Also, a look back at the week that was, focusing on a couple of games the Jays gave away. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Guests: Blue Jays DH Justin Turner, third base coach Carlos Febles, rehabbing starter Alek Manoah This week, we do a deep dive into the confluence of events that led to the Blue Jays using the bullpen the way they did in their series-ending loss to the Yankees — the first blown save for the Jays this season — and then check in with Justin Turner for his thoughts on the first home stand. We introduce you to new third-base coach Carlos Febles and hear from Alek Manoah on the lessons he learned from his terrible 2023. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Guests: Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier, third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa and pitcher Paolo Espino; former Jays pitcher Trent Thornton This week, Kevin Kiermaier checks in for his regular visit despite a 3-for-31 start to his season. We talk to Isiah Kiner-Falefa about his first home opener as a Blue Jay and his strong start to the season, catch up with former Jay Trent Thornton, now a Seattle Mariner, and get to know Paolo Espino, who spent 11 years in the minors before making it to the big leagues. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Blue Jays win their home opener behind “Bad Dawg” Jose Berríos - we hear from him, Davis Schneider and John Schneider and take your email questions and comments!

The Blue Jays get no-hit, so you get a special bonus episode! My take on the Jays shooting blanks in Houston.

Guests: Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., centre fielder Kevin Kiermaier, right fielder George Springer, reliever Tim Mayza, starter Bowden Francis, associate manager DeMarlo Hale It’s the Opening Day Extravaganza and we’ve got half a dozen Blue Jays checking in with their thoughts about the year to come! We check in with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer on how they plan to rebound from their worst offensive seasons, talk to Kevin Kiermaier about how good he thinks the Jays can be in 2024, chat with the longest-serving member of the team, Tim Mayza, and the newest member of the starting rotation, Bowden Francis. We also catch up with an old friend – DeMarlo Hale has been gone for five years, but he’s back to help return the Jays to the glory days of his first time around these parts.

Guest: Gregor Chisholm, baseball columnist Spring training is over and before we bring you the opening day extravaganza, we are dipping into the “Deep Left Field” mailbag! Baseball columnist Gregor Chisholm and I answer your Toronto Blue Jays questions on this bonus episode of “Deep Left Field.” What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Guest: Joseph Daniel Votto The greatest Toronto-born player in baseball history joins us to discuss his attempt to continue his career in his hometown, whether he’s got anything left and why he apologized once again for his anti-Baseball Canada rant of 2018.

Guests: Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman, top prospect Ricky Tiedemann, slugger Daniel Vogelbach As we head into the final week of spring training, we take you back to the beginning with Kevin Gausman, who was scheduled to be the Blue Jays’ opening day starter. We check in with Ricky Tiedemann as he begins the season that’s likely to see his major-league debut and get to know Daniel Vogelbach, widely recognized across the game as an elite clubhouse presence. Plus, thoughts on the Santiago Espinal trade, the rash of Blue Jays pitching injuries and the Shohei Ohtani scandal. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Guests: Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano, catcher Danny Jansen, third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa and breakout pitcher Adam Macko This week in “Deep Left Field,” host Mike Wilner brings good pals Danny Jansen and Jordan Romano together to talk about their expectations for the Blue Jays in 2024, introduces you to one of the new Jays, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and gets to know Canadian lefty — by way of Slovakia and Ireland — Adam Macko, who will be pitching for the Jays in the Spring Breakout game on March 16. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Joey Votto signed a minor league deal with his hometown Toronto Blue Jays. Votto has been the toughest hitter to get out in the 21st century, so if he's healthy, this could be a big deal. Mike Wilner gave his initial thoughts on the signing in this bonus episode.

Guests: New Blue Jays DH Justin Turner, Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho, Phillies manager Rob Thomson This week in “Deep Left Field,” we get to know the new guy, Justin Turner, who brings championship experience and an unflinching approach at the plate into the clubhouse. We catch up with Daulton Varsho, who knows what he has to do to win over Jays fans in his second year, and we talk to Phillies’ skipper Rob Thomson about one of his old teammates on the 1984 Canadian Olympic Baseball team, new Hall of Famer Rod Heisler. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Guests: Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette and manager John Schneider Spring training has begun in Dunedin, Florida, and Mike Wilner is down there to give you the goods on what’s going on at camp. He’s also there to have incredible conversations with Bo Bichette and John Schneider. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Guests: Blue Jays pitcher José Berrios, Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli This week in “Deep Left Field,” we are live from the opening of Toronto Blue Jays’ spring training in Dunedin, Florida! We kick off the 2024 season with a look back at how ’23 ended, talking to José Berrios, who started the Jays’ final game of the post-season, and Rocco Baldelli, who managed the Twins to the series victory. Also, the Jays sign Eduardo Escobar and I give my thoughts on the team’s newly-announced radio crew. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Guest: Toronto Star Baseball Columnist Gregor Chisholm On the eve of spring training, as host Mike Wilner prepares to join the Blue Jays in Dunedin, we bring you a special bonus episode featuring your questions! Mike and Gregor Chisholm, the Star’s baseball writers, answer your Jays questions about Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alek Manoah, Ross Atkins and his quiet off-season, potential further additions before the season starts and many more! What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

This week in “Deep Left Field,” we talk to two members of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Class of 2024 — Ashley Stephenson, current Vancouver Canadians coach and the greatest female baseball player in Canadian history, and Paul Godfrey, who is largely responsible for Toronto getting a major-league baseball team and for SkyDome being built. We also discuss new homes for old pals Jay Jackson and Ross Stripling and talk about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s arbitration win.