OverDrive - Kurkjian on the Blue Jays aiming to bounce back, Guerrero Jr.'s redemption and the matchup against the Mariners

Episode Date: October 15, 2025

ESPN MLB Analyst Tim Kurkjian joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the Blue Jays and Mariners' series, how Toronto can bounce back in the ALCS, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. needing a better performance, Anthony Santander back in the lineup, the team's roster and more.

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from ESPN. He's at the park now. Here's Tim Kurchin. Tim, can you spin this positively for people in Toronto? Why should the Blue J fans back home be feeling good about their team going into game three tonight? Did you guys watch the regular season in the major leagues? Yes. Did you watch it? Yes. Because if you watched it, you will know, and I know you watched it, that just when you think you understand what's going on, you realize that you don't.

Just when you think this team, whatever, team it is, is really good. It loses six games in a row. Just when you think that same team is really bad, it wins eight games in a row. This has been the most unpredictable season that I have ever covered in 45 years. So anyone who thinks this is over, and that's Milwaukee, L.A., that's Toronto, Seattle. They didn't watch the 2025 season. Anything is possible in this crazy season. Do I like the situation the Mariners are in better, of course. Of course. But anyone who watched the season would recognize that anything is possible in baseball in 2025.

We've seen 1,000 examples of that. That's why you cannot give up on the Blue Jays or the Brewers or anybody else at this point. Yep. So you're saying, Tim, that Vladdy can totally flip the switch and be the hitter that he was against the Yankees. That can't happen tonight. it will happen tonight? There are no guarantees. 2025 made sure of that.

However, yes, he can flip it and he can do exactly what he did in the LDS when he was devastating. The only player ever to get nine hits and nine RBIs in the first four games of any four games of a postseason. No one's ever done that. And yet all he's done since then is ground out to the shortstop, the second baseman, and the third base. but this is baseball anything can happen he's a great hitter it could turn and but you know let's face it

he is a critical piece here and he's got to get this going otherwise the troubles could continue yep and everything you say about the 2025 season would apply to the blue jays maybe first and foremost 94 wins they win the east you know no one saw that coming and their backs have been up against the wall at different times and they have come storming back also winning sweeping the Mariners in Seattle back in May. And that, I'm sure, is something they're trying to, you know, take some confidence from. But Oges mentioned Vladdy. Another, you know, big portion of the lineup tonight is Anthony Santander, who's back in the lineup.

He pulled himself from game two. He's not only back in the lineup, he's sitting clean up tonight. Barger's moving down. Santander has been a missing piece literally all year based on injury. But he's a veteran that can hit for power. And they need it after the first two games. what is your level of confidence that Santander can supply that and be productive tonight for the Jays?

Well, we asked John Schneider for the game. Like, someone asked him, I didn't, who's your pick-to-click? And he said, I got a really good feeling about Tony. That's what he said. Really good feeling about Tony. So we'll see. He's six for 15 with two homers' lifetime against George Kirby. And not many people have good numbers lifetime against George Kirby.

And I also think it's important that you just put him right back in the cleanup spot, where he hit 44 home runs last year for the Orioles, and it's hit over 100 homers the last three years combined. I'm a believer in that when you tell a guy, I don't just trust you to get in the lineup. I'm going to hit you for it. Plus, physically, he's feeling better. John Schneider told us that yesterday was really helpful that he had a day off,

and he's moving better. He's playing right field. So I have a good feeling about them, too. But, again, let's always remember the ballpark in which we're playing. This is a difficult place in which to hit. And, you know, I can't say, yeah, they're going to win 9-8. A couple guys are going to hit two homers. Not in this ballpark.

Now with the pitching, they're going to be seen. Coming into the season, did you expect George Springer to have this type of season and still be that productive and really that dominant all season long? And he's been great in the playoffs as well. Yeah, did not see it. But you guys know he had six on opening day, six while Andres Jimenez hit fourth on opening day. Just another reminder how this lineup has evolved. But this lineup took off when George Springer was put back in the leadoff spot.

And as you know, he worked with Michael Brantley in the offseason, one of his best friends in the world and a former teammate in Houston. They worked in Florida. And he came back, even though he had a terrible spring training, Springer came back a different hitter. And, you know, he had the highest OPS gain, 285 points from last year to this, of any player in the major leagues, Cal Raleigh, had the second highest. It just shows you he was not done, and when a freakish athlete like him figures out what was wrong, and then he goes out and makes it work, this is the beauty of baseball. You know, great NBA basketball players, you know, don't get to his age

and suddenly start to score 25 points a game after scoring eight points a game last. year. This only happens in baseball, and it only happens with freakish athletes like George Springer. Well, he will bat lead off tonight. You mentioned Cal Rale, and of course he'll bat second for the Mariners. We're chatting with Tim Kirkson of ESPN. He's in Seattle Game 3 tonight. And the guy that will face him, at least early in the game, is Shane Bieber. And a big conversation in Toronto has been, you know, John Schneider's approach to the starters and how, you know, quickly he takes them out. Gosman twice, you know, against the Yankees in against the mariner.

You savage the first time around, not necessarily the second time. He was getting hit, and his velocity was down. But what would Bieber have to show Schneider tonight that would allow him to go into the sixth or seventh inning? And then they get to deviate from this plan where they're not letting their starter give them more than 15, 16 outs or 75, 77 pitches. Yeah, well, what the Blue Jays have learned is when their bullpen is good. But when you see a reliever enough times, you start to figure it out. So I think the leash, even though this is a crucial, almost a must-win for the Blue Jays, I think he's going to go a little longer with Shane Bieber.

And you guys know the numbers are pretty good. Now, the numbers against the Mariners are great. I mean, his last three starts against them, he's got a 0-4-70, R.A, no walks, and 21 strikeouts. But that was a long time ago that some of those numbers were put up there. So they have to factor that. And he also pitches exceptionally well in this ballpark, as a lot of pitchers do. But, yes, I think he's going to go longer with him. And I think the key with Beaver, as it always is, is that, you know,

what's going to do with that slider and that knuckle curve of the league just did not figure those two out this year? If he's got both of those pitches going, he's going to have a good night. All right. We can't wait for it. You're in Seattle. Enjoy it tonight. Thank you for doing this, Tim. Okay, my pleasure, fellow.

See you. There's Tim Kirchon of ESPN. The newest tracks. Mystical, magical. And the next big thing. Baby, what was that? And your first place to hear it all. I heart new music.

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