Blue Jays Talk

Jays Talk Plus: No Pressure for Manoah + Mariners Pitchers vs. Jays Hitters

Blue Jays Talk

Show Notes

Blake Murphy is joined by host of The JD Bunkis Podcast, JD Bunkis, to discuss the trust and excitement levels for Alek Manoah's first playoff start in the Wild Card series opener, the correlation between the faith in David Price's first playoff start for Toronto and Manoah's, and the concerns with Kevin Gausman's finger issues, before revisiting the debate between Robbie Ray and Gausman this past offseason (01:17). Then, the guys take a look at the betting odds heading into the 3-game series, and focus in on why centerfielders George Springer and Julio Rodríguez can be the x-factors this weekend (28:06). Afterward, FanGraphs' Ben Clemens chats about how he'll consume the first few series of the 2022 playoffs, why Seattle isn't benefiting from a matchup against Toronto, the strength of the Mariners' bullpen, Bo Bichette's ceiling as a hitter, and the other focal points of the series (54:25). Finally, former analyst for the Maple Leafs and current contributor at The Athletic Cam Charron jumps on to share where his fandom lies between the Mariners and Blue Jays, what stands out between baseball and hockey analytics, and why Robbie Ray scares him the most heading into this series (01:15:00).

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.

More from Blue Jays Talk

Apr 16, 2023

Sho Alli and Ben Shulman break down the Blue Jays' 8-1 loss to the Rays to wrap up the series at Rogers Centre. They take your calls and texts, and get straight to the start from Alek Manoah, who was hit hard once again (7 ER, 4 BB) and yanked after 4.2 IP. Is it too early in the season to be concerned, or are there underlying numbers that are an issue? They also chat about his slider in 2023 vs. the 2022 version, and whether or not he's fighting his mechanics. They also get to the bullpen, including another good outing from Trevor Richards - can he be trusted with higher leverage spots going forward? Plus, Caleb Joseph sticks around to shed some light on the pitcher-catcher relationship, and discusses the idea of having Alejandro Kirk catch for Manoah vs. Danny Jansen.

Apr 15, 2023

Sho Alli and Ben Shulman break down the Blue Jays' 5-2 win over the Rays at Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and get right to Yusei Kikuchi, who might have turned in his best start as a Blue Jay: nine strikeouts, one earned run, and one walk over six innings of work. They discuss Danny Jansen's contributions both offensively and as a game caller - how much has he helped both Kikuchi and José Berríos? Plus, Jordan Romano earns another save, but is the closer relying too much on the slider vs. his fastball? To wrap, they discuss the stellar defence, including plays from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, and Daulton Varsho.

Apr 15, 2023

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-3 win over the Rays at Rogers Centre! They take your calls and discuss history being denied, as the Rays' 13-0 streak to start the season was snapped by José Berríos and Bo Bichette. Berríos shoved for five innings before leaving with a knee contusion, while Bichette grabbed five hits, including the 500th of his career - does the offence put to rest any concerns with his defence? They also discuss the bullpen usage, including a rusty outing from Yimi Garcia, and get to yet another leadoff dinger from George Springer.

Apr 14, 2023

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 3-1 loss to the Tigers at Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and discuss the third start of the season from Chris Bassitt - is it another step in the right direction for the newest member of the rotation? They also chat about the second base situation, Cavan Biggio's playing time, the left-handedness of the bullpen, and Brandon Belt's place in the batting order.

Apr 13, 2023

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 4-3 walk-off win over the Tigers down at Rogers Centre! They take your calls, and discuss the small ball approach - Barker gets fired up with some well-placed bunts! They get to George Springer's walkoff hit, and the first base defence displayed by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his gold glove. The guys also discuss the eight inning performance from Kevin Gausman, and the fastball/slider usage by Jordan Romano.

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