The 2026 Blue Jays lineup has plenty of quality, but it's full of players whose production is tough to predict: www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/...

🎙️New Podcast up with @nickashbourne.bsky.social -- How did we get here? mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/01/29/m...

Kyle Sucker—heh!—and Blow Bichette—get it?—are much wealthier than they were a week ago. But are Jays fans the suckers for expecting one to sign here? Did Ross Atkins blow it? This week @nickashbourne.bsky.social and I talk all about these monster deals and the fallout from them. Have a listen! 👇

The Blue Jays lineup may not be in desperate need of another bat, but it could accommodate one without any of the projected regulars losing too much playing time. I took a look at how: www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/...

🎙️ New Podcast 🎙️ @APetrielli.bsky.social & @NickAshbourne.bsky.social discuss Tavares’ recent struggles, the sign vs. trade conversations about McMann & Laughton, the confusing defense pairings, and Dougie Hamilton as a potential trade fit in Toronto 🎧 👇 #LeafsForever

MLB’s hot stove has finally started simmering again, and this week @nickashbourne.bsky.social and I talk all about the actual movement involving Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette’s meeting with the Phillies, the state of the Red Sox and Yankees, and more! Have a listen! 👇

Just recorded an episode of Blue Jays Happy Hour with @stoeten.bsky.social, largely on the Kyle Tucker/Bo Bichette market, so if those could remain relatively stable for a bit, that would be excellent. Thanks, baseball (contract) gods.

With the Blue Jays spending big, the Yankees hardly spending, and the Red Sox standing on the sidelines, Toronto no longer seems structurally disadvantaged by sharing the AL East with the two traditional powerhouses: www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/...

It's always tough to know what you're going to get from a high-profile international star. But a combination of how much the Blue Jays have invested in Kazuma Okamoto and his early projections can help set some reasonable expectations: www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/...

🎙️ New Podcast 🎙️ @APetrielli.bsky.social & @NickAshbourne.bsky.social break down the Leafs’ promising depth contributions of late, their blue line picture moving forward, a big W over Florida, and the tough lineup decisions when Nylander returns from injury 👇 #LeafsForever

Kazuma Okamoto is a fascinating signing. Stoeten and I talked about a player who isn't the easiest fit, but seems likely to improve the Blue Jays lineup in the short term — and possibly their fortunes in Japan in the long run.

Kazuma Okamato seems likely to hit at the MLB level (Steamer projects a 110 wRC+). The bigger question will be his defensive fit on a team with a locked-in 1B and few DH at-bats available. Clearly, there's some optimism in his ability to handle some 3B/OF innings, but the role is a bit opaque.

Kazuma Okamoto has been an extremely consistent power threat in NPB with between 27 and 41 HR in each of his 7 full seasons before an injury-shortened 2025. His 2025 was truncated, but impressive. He posted a 210 wRC+, and his K rate dropped to 11.3% without a power dip.

The Blue Jays have been active in free agency, but there are other avenues for setting the team up for the future. I looked at some of the contract extension candidates on the roster: www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/...

2025 was a heck of year in Blue Jays land and @stoeten.bsky.social and I have the month-by-month review:

From the Mark Shapiro extension to the Tyler Rogers signing, there's plenty to talk about this week.

The Blue Jays made a big bet that Tyler Rogers has staying power deep into his 30s. What we've seen from MLB submariners in recent decades suggests they may be onto something: www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/...

If a Winter Meetings happens in Orlando, does anybody hear it make a sound? This week @nickashbourne.bsky.social and I are talking all about the Winter Meetings, which have come and gone without having much of an impact on the Jays’ 2026 roster. Have a listen! 👇

The high-end RP market is moving fast, but there are still a few guys who could help the back end of the Blue Jays bullpen: www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/...

Apparently, I'm the only guy out there visiting the FanGraphs pages of Blue Jays legends like Aquilino Lopez, Chad Jenkins, Joe Inglett, Gustavo Chacin, Randy Ruiz, and Danny Barnes.

At last, some reasons for optimism in Leafland. Except for the power play. New podcast via @APetrielli.bsky.social & @NickAshbourne.bsky.social on the big wins in Pittsburgh and Florida, the forward lines stabilizing, Stecher's impact, the ongoing PP frustrations, and much more 👇 #LeafsForever

Podcast time! In which @nickashbourne.bsky.social and I discuss a fun, surprising, surprisingly fun signing, and ask the question: could José Berríos actually have trade value? Have a listen! 👇

FanGraphs' Roster Resource depth chart has Cody Ponce in the Blue Jays rotation and José Berríos in the bullpen... That isn't anything definitive, but it's not an unreasonable snap judgment considering the level of investment in Ponce.

Cody Ponce is a high-variance option, but he's a totally different pitcher today than the one who flamed out of MLB in 2021. Just set the KBO single-season K record (252), his fastball has some juice, and his curve & splitter should both generate whiffs.

How should the Leafs line up their fully healthy forward group? How can their power play possibly be this bad? @APetrielli.bsky.social and @NickAshbourne.bsky.social dive into those storylines and much more in this week's MLHS Podcast 👇 #LeafsForever

I didn't think we'd be having an exciting massive transaction pod less than a month from the end of the World Series... but it's time to talk Dylan Cease.

Dylan Cease has produced a strikeout total that would rank among the top 10 in Blue Jays' history in each of the last five seasons.

Dylan Cease does two things extremely well: he misses bats and doesn't miss starts. His contract with the Blue Jays is bigger than I would've guessed, but the organization has continuously put a premium on durability, and he combines that with stuff.

It's tough to predict what precisely the Blue Jays will do in free agency, but there are some players available with similarities to the guys they've gone for in the past: www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/...

This week @nickashbourne.bsky.social and I take a look at a Jeff Passan piece that was music to Jays fans' ears. Plus!: Qualifying offers, Nick Sandlin (and Andres Gimenez), Ricky Tiedemann, the team we’d least like to see Bo end up with, and a whole lot more! Have a listen! 👇

One of the many benefits of a deep playoff run is the additional time you get for internal evaluation. Here are some things the Blue Jays learned about their own guys in the postseason that could affect how they move through the offseason: www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/...

🎙️ New MLHS Podcast 🎙️ @APetrielli.bsky.social & @NickAshbourne.bsky.social on the Leafs’ troubling losses to Boston and Carolina, the biggest areas of concern and reasons for hope, and Craig Berube’s current job security 👇 #LeafsForever

This week it was time to turn the page and look to the future, so you'll find @nickashbourne.bsky.social and I talking about Shane Bieber's surprise return, Bo Bichette's free agency, other names of intrigue, and a whole lot more! Have a listen! 👇

🎙️ New MLHS Podcast 🎙️ - Leafs' winning streak & Matthews heating up - Should the Leafs be more vocal about officiating? - Robertson making his case - The awkward Kampf situation - Cowan joining the Marlies + much more via @NickAshbourne.bsky.social & @APetrielli.bsky.social 👇

Stoeten and I did our best to sort through this bittersweet moment in Blue Jays history:

You genuinely can’t get much closer to winning the World Series without doing it. That Blue Jays run was incredible, and nothing that came before today was invalidated by that result — but a win sure could have elevated it.

One thing that's in play for this chaotic game is a home run that trumps Joe Carter's (impossible to beat Game 7, extra-inning walk-off). That's wild considering Carter's is one of the most important/iconic in the sport's history.

When the World Series is on the line, you want the ball hit to Andrés Giménez.

This game is an instant classic. It's got everything.

I'm sure folks don't want to see Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but there's no guarantee he's going to be effective on no rest whatsoever. As good as he is, this is a serious gamble by the Dodgers.

There's no way Addison Barger has that at-bat against an elite LHP a couple of months ago. He's matured so much as a hitter.

Players with 30+ hits in a single MLB playoff run: Ernie Clement That's it.

The Blue Jays only needed 8 more outs to win the World Series when Freddie Freeman stepped up to the plate and Vladdy took care of 25% of them.

No one's ever had more hits in a playoff run than Ernie Clement has in 2025. That sentence is pure lunacy.

Between spring training, the regular season, and the playoffs, Louis Varland appeared 99 times and pitched 100 innings. With Chris Bassitt in the game, he can finally rest.

By coming into this game, Louis Varland sets the MLB record for pitching appearances in a single playoff run (15).

That may have been the last time we see Max Scherzer in the MLB playoffs, where he’s been an institution. He’s appeared in 11 playoff runs with 157 IP (8th all-time), 182 Ks (5th), 2 World Series Game 7 starts, and 2 World Series rings (and counting).

That Daulton Varsho catch was on a 109.8 mph liner with a .660 xBA. Critical play from the Gold Glover.

Gotta go to Dominguez here. That's the best right-on-right option you've got.

Plenty of ballgame left, but so far one team is swinging it and one team is not.