This week on Exit Philosophy, Griff and Mal break down the Toronto Blue Jays’ final nine games of the season and the decisions facing manager John Schneider as the Jays navigate a thin three-man rotation and a bullpen that needs to be ready every day.
With the Blue Jays playoff push entering crunch time, can Schneider think outside the box with his pitching staff? What does the bullpen look like down the stretch, and should Joe Mantiply and Michael Lorenzen continue to be used in high-leverage situations? The answer to the Lorenzen question took place on Friday morning.
Plus, Shane Bieber has an interesting conversation with Griff about his future, including the possibility of betting on himself with a short-term contract in hopes of maximizing a bigger free-agent deal down the road—and whether the Toronto Blue Jays could be a fit for the former Cy Young Award winner in 2027.
The guys also look ahead to the Blue Jays offseason, including what Toronto needs to do to improve its offence, potential roster moves, and whether this could be the organization’s best rookie class since Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette debuted in 2019.
Down the stretch they come, Blue Jays handicapped by thin rotation, overworked bullpen; could Shane Bieber bet on himself and re-sign for one year
Jays hopes to repeat a post-season run are fading but it’s not the fault of the strong rookie crop and off-season signings
