Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

Guests: Blue Jays 2026 Rookie of the Year and 2026 Unsung Hero This week in Deep Left Field, we continue to present the Blue Jays 2026 award winners as voted by the players, coaches, front office and support staff. Unlike last week, when only one interview was required to hear from both the Jays' 2026 MVP and Pitcher of the Year (since they were the same guy, Dylan Cease), the Rookie of the Year and Unsung Hero are different people, although they were both rookies. You'll hear from both of them in this episode. As well, you get my thoughts on how the post-season is unfolding, and how the Milwaukee Brewers' NLCS success could put the lie to ownership's contention that big-payroll teams are guaranteed championships and, therefore, a work stoppage is necessary so that a game-saving salary cap can be implemented. Also, I go over the Jays' five Gold Glove finalists. All that, plus your thoughts in the mailbag at [email protected]!

This week in Deep Left Field, we dive into the end-of-season post-mortems held by Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins on Wednesday. We break down what Shapiro had to say about his feelings watching the heart-warming final weekend of the Jays' miserable season and about the looming labour dispute. Then we wade through what Atkins said about having baseball's worst offence in 2026, with an emphasis on what he saw from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., how the Jays plan to help him find his way out of it and much more! All that, plus your thoughts in the mailbag at [email protected]!

Guest: Toronto Star baseball columnist Gregor Chisholm This week in Deep Left Field, the Blue Jays playoff dreams have been extinguished. What looked only a couple of weeks ago like a team that had another playoff run in it has limped to the finish line, with 11 losses in 16 games through Wednesday's doubleheader sweep in Baltimore in which the Jays were mathematically eliminated after the first game. My Toronto Star Blue Jays beat partner Gregor Chisholm joins me to dissect what went wrong in the Jays' quest to defend their American League pennant, from injuries and underperformance to poor roster construction that led to overreliance on certain players. We also get into Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s viral comments about his contract. All that, plus your thoughts in the mailbag at [email protected]!

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 [email protected], 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 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 [email protected]!

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 [email protected]!

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 [email protected]!

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 [email protected] 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.