Blair & Barker

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker get set for the Blue Jays' Grapefruit League season kicking off tomorrow against the Yankees and look at the biggest position battles for the team in Spring. They discuss what Orelvis Martinez has to prove, ripple effects of the Ryan Yarbrough signing and their expectations for Max Scherzer. Blue Jays radio voice Ben Shulman (13:46) shares the vibes from Dunedin and the...

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker start with a look at the Blue Jays' recently announced Spring Training rotation and lay out expectations for Yariel Rodriguez before going to the Back Leg Line (4:57) to answer listener questions! They get into how big of a distraction a walk year is for players, whether the Jays will regret trading Spencer Horwitz, what defines a 'generational talent,' and much more. L...

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker react to John Schneider's comments on the Blue Jays' potential lead-off hitter this season and project the team's ideal lineup order. Then, they discuss the task ahead for John Schneider, what Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is actually worth on the open market and how management views him. Later, they share what they're looking forward to from the Jays' Spring Training before we...

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are back with daily episodes of Blair & Barker ! The guys open with thoughts on today's breaking news that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays were unable to come to terms on an extension by the slugger's self-imposed deadline. They dive into what this means for Vlad's future in Toronto, if the door is still open for an extension after the 2025 season, and t...

With pitchers and catchers beginning to report at Spring Training, Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker react to Ross Atkins' comments on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. negotiations as the slugger's self-imposed extension deadline nears. ESPN insider Jeff Passan (9:27) discusses how Blue Jays management approaches Vladdy's deadline and what he'd be worth after an offseason of mega-deals around MLB. Then, Jeff weigh...

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined by Blue Jays’ starter Kevin Gausman before he takes off for Spring Training. Gausman shares his thoughts on the team’s offseason so far, his time as a free agent before signing with Toronto, making adjustments on the fly when pitching, and what three-time Cy Young award winner Max Scherzer will bring to the team’s rotation. Blair and Barker end the show with...

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker kick things off with reactions to the Blue Jays' signing of future hall-of-fame pitcher Max Scherzer to a one-year deal, and how this addition affects Toronto's starting pitching rotation. The duo then welcome in Blue Jays Centrals' Caleb Joseph to weigh in on what the veteran righty brings to the lineup, if the Jays have any other moves on the horizon in free agency, a...

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker wonder what else could be in-store for the Toronto Blue Jays (Max Scherzer?) after signing Anthony Santander before sharing their thoughts on this year’s Hall of Fame Class, and which players got snubbed. With Toronto’s reported interest in free-agent slugger Pete Alonso, the guys call up ex-Mets GM and SportsNet New York Contributor Zack Scott (22:32) to discuss the Al...

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker host a special edition of Blair and Barker reacting to the news of the Toronto Blue Jays agreeing to a 5-year deal with outfielder Anthony Santander, his track record with the Baltimore Orioles, what he adds to the Jays' offence, before diving into the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes and trading for centrefielder Myles Straw. Then, Roch Kubatko, Orioles reporter for MASN Sports...

Jeff Blair & Kevin Barker return for their first podcast of 2025 with plenty to discuss. First, they comment on the Blue Jays bolstering their bullpen with Jeff Hoffman after he agreed to a three-year contract and the reports that his medicals raised red flags with other teams before agreeing to terms with Toronto. Later, they turn their attention to the Blue Jays’ interest in Japanese pitching ph...

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker close out the calendar year with one last episode! The guys open with their thoughts on the Blue Jays' offseason so far and if they expect to see more activity before the new year. Sportsnet Blue Jays writer Shi Davidi (11:33) joins the guys to share what he is hearing around the team including which free agents they are in on, the state of extension talks with Vladimir...

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker return with another offseason edition of the show! They start with the Andrés Giménez acquisition and what it means for the Blue Jays and the rest of their winter plans. Jeff & Kevin then get into Juan Soto's contract with the Mets and where Toronto finished in the bidding. Next, the guys are joined by MLB Radio analyst Jensen Lewis for his thoughts on Giménez. Finally,...

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are back from their winter hiatus with a new episode! The guys offer their thoughts on the offseason so far and where the Jays stand in the Juan Soto sweepstakes. Do the Blue Jays have a legitimate chance at signing Soto? Is it preventing them from pursuing other free agents? And ultimately where will he land? Then, they discuss other free agents the Jays should be keyi...

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker wrap up this season of Blair and Barker sharing their expectations for the Blue Jays’ offseason, before welcoming on two of their favourite guests. Jeff Passan, ESPN MLB insider, hops aboard (10:22) to discuss Freddie Freeman’s battle with injuries in the postseason, his Hall of Fame candidacy, the next steps for the Yankees and the Juan Soto free agency sweepstakes. La...

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the 2024 World Series Champions! Blair and Barker look back on the dramatic and series-deciding Game 5 - the Dodgers' five-run 5th inning characterized by Yankees defensive miscues, Dave Roberts' managing, Freddie Freeman's MVP performance and the next steps in New York. Then, they react to the Braves starting their offseason early and trading Jorge Soler to the Angels....

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker recap the New York Yankees living another day with their Game 4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Aaron Boone's lineup changes, Freddie Freeman's surge at the plate and Mookie Betts' outfield encounter with a Yankees fan. Then, Cleveland Guardians' pitcher Cade Smith (27:26) jumps on to chat about his approach to a shorter offseason for himself this year, high leverage...

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker recap Game 3 of the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers' chance to sweep the final and the need for Aaron Judge to perform in the elimination game. Then, the guys dive into Walker Buehler's performance in three post-season starts. Afterwards, Jeff and Kevin are joined by Sportsnet analyst and former MLB catcher Caleb Joseph (31:44), who tries to diagnose the issues at...

Blair and Barker look back on the pair of World Series games this weekend where the Dodgers got up 2-0 over the Yankees. They discuss Shohei Ohtani's Game-2 injury, Aaron Boone's bullpen management in Game 1, Aaron Judge's struggles and more. Later, Kevin Pillar (26:44) joins the show in-studio to discuss his offseason surgery and his baseball future following his 12th MLB season. Then, he shares...

Game 1 of the World Series has arrived! Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker open the show with their thoughts on what to expect tonight in Los Angeles, including a look at the starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Jack Flaherty. Then, ESPN's Jeff Passan joins the guys from L.A.  (10:55). They talk about how the ample rest between series could help Cole perform at his best, get into the star power on display i...

While Blair and Barker continue to count down to Game 1 of the World Series, they are joined by two-time champion Johnny Damon (12:20). He shares memories from his title runs with the Yankees and Red Sox, what it means to win in New York and the mental & physical challenges of prepping for the biggest stage. Later, host of Foul Territory Erik Kratz (30:58) discusses Gerrit Cole's outlook ahead of...

Blair and Barker are joined by Los Angeles Dodgers President and CEO Stan Kasten (9:32) to share some memories of the late MLB superstar Fernando Valenzuela, his review of Shohei Ohtani's record-breaking regular season, if home field advantage is a factor in the 2024 World Series, Tommy Edman's fit with the Dodgers, and the evolution of pitchers. Then, New York Post columnist Mike Vaccaro (31:30)...

MLB Network's Jon Morosi (3:20) joins Blair and Barker to discuss the early storylines heading into the World Series, how the New York Yankees' and Los Angeles Dodgers' pitching staffs match up, who has more pressure on them between Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, and if the league can leverage the marketing value of Judge vs. Ohtani. Then, Blair and Barker dive into the Blue Jays hiring David Popk...

The World Series stage is set as the New York Yankees will face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers! Blair and Barker look back on the two League Championship Series and discuss the next steps for the eliminated Guardians and Mets. Then, they share the Yankees' and Dodgers' biggest concerns heading into Game 1 on Friday. Former MLB executive David Samson (29:15) shares his thoughts on the financia...

Blair and Barker open the show discussing Jhonkensy Noel's game-tying homer and David Fry's walk-off home run to take hold of a thrilling Game 3 in the ALCS. ESPN's Jeff Passan (6:51) chats about the difficulties of closing in the post-season, if Game 4 is now a must-win game for the New York Yankees, and if Aaron Judge and Juan Soto is a better duo than Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. Then, Blair...

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker begin the show discussing Walker Buehler's return to form in the L.A. Dodgers' Game 3 win and how pitchers change mechanics from regular season starts to games that matter in the playoffs. Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin shares an update on the future of Tropicana Field's status for the 2025 season and beyond and where the Rays would play in the meantime. Then, MLB on TBS...