BJWU Ep. 165: 1/3 assessment of Blue Jays' 2025 season

This week's episode breaks down the Blue Jays' path to becoming baseball's hottest team, putting together their best brand of baseball since 2022, the offence rounding into form and hitting home runs, Alejandro Kirk leading the way amid his career year, Addison Barger's power, maximizing the platoon advantage, providing sufficent run support for a pitching staff with three reliable starters, Max Scherzer beginning a rehab assignment, what to do with Bowden Francis, looking ahead to the trade deadline and much more. Enjoy!

This week's episode dives into where the Blue Jays stand one-third of the way through the 2025 season, canvassing the rest of the American League, the extreme highs & lows from these first two months, the offence being at the forefront of that roller-coaster, what to do with Anthony Santander, needing more power from Vladdy & Bo Bichette, Kevin Gausman turning back the clock, Yariel Rodriguez's recent high-leverage emergence, peaking ahead to the July 31 trade deadline and much more. Enjoy!

This week's episode breaks down the bullpen's recent woes, how an unsustainable workload has caught up with the back end of the 'pen, several relievers being on pace to set new career highs in appearances and innings pitched, needing the offence to step up, where things are trending if things remain status quo and much more. Enjoy!

This week's episode breaks down a horrendous series in Houston, finishing a tough opening month schedule, the offence's power outage, a lack of production from the lineup's top three hitters, George Springer's sensational start, Max Scherzer's uncertain health status, what to do about the fifth starter's spot, Jake Bloss' potential major league timeline and much more. Enjoy!

This week's episode recaps the Blue Jays' impressive start to the 2025 season, sweeping the Nationals, a surprising offensive surge, playing small ball, George Springer & Andrés Giménez leading the way, Bo Bichette being Bo Bichette, the need for more power (eventually), Max Scherzer's concerning injury status, Easton Lucas' remarkable debut, Yariel Rodríguez's evolving role, a tough upcoming road trip and much more. Enjoy!

This week's episode includes thoughts on the final few days of spring training, projecting the club's Opening Day roster ahead of next week's season opener against the Orioles, injury updates on Max Scherzer, Erik Swanson, Zach Pop & Daulton Varsho, plus lots more. Enjoy!

This week's episode highlights which players have stood out in camp for the Blue Jays thus far, with Bo Bichette and Alejandro Kirk leading the way, as well as Kevin Gausman's impressive spring debut, Max Scherzer looking like Max Scherzer, the case for Bichette to hit leadoff, sifting through the early roster battles, examining Toronto's Spring Breakout roster and much more. Enjoy!

This week's episode explores the fallout from the unsuccessful contract negotiations between the Toronto Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., highlighting where things might have gone wrong, how we got here, the chances he could return in free agency, the fast-approaching cliff regarding the franchise's rapidly declining competitive window, where we go from here and much more. Enjoy!

This week's episode breaks down the Max Scherzer signing, what he brings to TOR's starting rotation, what it means for Yariel Rodríguez's role, the risks of betting on a 40-year-old pitcher, the importance of managing his workload in 2025, bridging the gap to Alek Manoah, Jake Bloss & Ricky Tiedemann, shifting focus to adding another impact hitter such as Pete Alonso or Alex Bregman, extending Vladdy and much more. Enjoy!

This week's episode breaks down the Blue Jays' pursuit of Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki and being listed among the 3 finalists for his services, what signing Jeff Hoffman means for next season's bullpen, potential avenue to returning as a starting pitcher, what moves need to follow (i.e. offensive additions) and much more. Enjoy!