OverDrive - Kurkjian on the Blue Jays' division lead, the AL East race and Scherzer tipping pitches

Episode Date: September 8, 2025

ESPN MLB Analyst Tim Kurkjian joined OverDrive to discuss Max Scherzer tipping his pitches against the Yankees and the aspect of the game, the Blue Jays' stance in the AL East and the race in the division, George Springer's valiant season, Max Scherzer's role in rotation, the Red Sox getting close and more.

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Call Leor Samfiru and get what you're owed. Employment lawyer.com. We're joined now by ESPN analyst Tim Kirch. Tim, where do you stand on the Yankees' proficiency in this area and why they're so blatant about pitch tipping? Well, I think I have a slightly different view on this. If you do it properly, meaning without any sort of technological help, like camera or something like that, I believe that's your responsibility to relay to your teammates what's going on. Ted Simmons was the best at this when he's with the Brewers, and he taught it to Paul Molyter,

who then taught it to all the Blue Jays in a year in which they won the World Series. It's great gamesmanship. That's how I view it. Now, should you be blatant about it? Should you let everyone know this is what we're doing? Maybe that's not a great idea, but it's the responsibility of the defense to make sure that the signs are not being stolen. Because if they are, then it's the fault of the defense. not the offense. If the Blue Jays

were doing the same thing, I would say the exact same thing. It's your responsibility to hide the signs so they don't steal it. How are they getting them? I don't know the answer to that. If it's something other than they're peaking and seeing on

the basis what's going on, then shame on the team that is getting the signs stolen. Again, I'm a big believer in this. And yet, Cal Ripkin, Tony Gwyn told me along the way In a story I wrote just about this topic a long time ago, I don't want anybody telling me what's coming because I don't trust anyone other than myself.

What if they're wrong? And we've had a lot of people wrong doing this. So my point is this is gamesmanship. This is part of the game. And it's up to the offense. It's their responsibility to try to figure out what he's doing if he's tipping or not. And it's their responsibility to pass along to their teammates. if they want it.

Yeah, that's the flip side of it. That's a great point. You know, like another analogy I would use is golf. Sometimes you don't want to read another guy's putt because you don't trust that, you know, he actually hit the putt the way he wanted to, or he misread it and the same kind of thing. Like, what if you're waiting on information?

And they're saying change up, and Scher throws one 97 on the black. You know, then who do you blame? You know, you look at your teammates and say, thanks. Maybe I didn't need that information. Right. George Bell, again, another Blue Jay who was really good at this, was one of the best at relaying stolen signs to his teammates. And yet George Bell didn't want anybody telling him what was coming next because he got crossed up once.

He got hit because he expected something else to come and he said, no more of that. So this is a fascinating discussion. This just happens to be the Yankees and the Blue Jays. over the weekend. But it goes on every single night at every single ballpark. And when the people involved that I've talked to you about, Paul Motter, Ted Simmons, Cal Ripkin, Tony Gwyn, George Bell, guys are all really, really good players who know exactly what they're doing. And the really smart players know how to deal with this. Tim, how would you describe the state of the Jays right now? Are they leaking oil? Should they still be confident? Just where do you think they're at?

I think they're the best team in the division. I think they're going to win the division. I love their starting pitching, even though Max Scher wasn't great last couple times out. I still love their six-man rotation. I love that depth. Jeff Hoffman at the end, forget his ERA for the moment. He is a quality closer on a championship caliber team. And this is a really good offensive club when the boys in the middle are

swinging it and they really are starting with the guy at the top which I'm just amazed how many people wondered if he still got it and not only if he still have it he's a terrific player and Bobachette's great

and Black Guerrero just got eight hits and three games at Yankee Stadium so I really like where the Blue Jays are. Does that mean they're a great team that's going to run away with it and win the American League for sure absolutely not there is no such team in the American League

like that. But I like them better than any team in the division, and that's saying something, because the Red Sox have been pretty darn good since the beginning of July, and the Yankees have a big run left in them, and I think the Blue Jays hold them both off. Yeah, and as of today,

the Jays have a two-game lead on the Yankees, three and a half up on the Red Sox. They still play Boston in a three-game series upcoming, yet they have the tie break on both teams. So they really are in the driver's seat, and, you know, the guy you were talking about at the top would be George Springer. And, you know, we got into this

yesterday because in Toronto, you know, we understand the MVP's either Judge or Raleigh, clearly. It's one of those two guys in the American League and whoever doesn't win it is going to finish second. The odds makers would suggest Terrick Scoobles probably number three. I'm curious if you think

Springer's got a shot at that, considering how great he's played this year. Could he be the third most valuable player in the American League? I would say no. I would say he's going to get a bunch of MVP votes. When I say that, he'll get third, fourth, fifth, six, all the way up to 10th. And again, two years ago, I don't think anyone thought he'd get another MVP vote that high, but this is the turnaround that he's made. He's a freakish athlete, and we're

starting to see it again. But I think you could make a case that Bovesh and Blattie Jr. are just as valuable to the Blue Jays as Springer is, but he's been so good at the most important times. Yes, he's going to get some really nice support. He's going to get some MVP votes, and he's going to deserve them. With Tim Kirchran, yeah, he's been outstanding. You mentioned Vladia Yankee Stadium. He's made a career in that park, man. His numbers are off the charts. He loves playing in New York. And it sets up possibly, you know, for what we could see come the playoffs, if these two teams run into each other. And you mentioned the starting rotation, which you're bullish on them. You're not alone. A lot of people are. But sure,

in particular has been a somewhat of a conundrum all year because of the injuries early in the season he strikes out a million guys he did it over the weekend again but where do you stand on the trust level you would still have with Scher come October well I got to see how the next three weeks

go and then a very difficult decision will be made because somebody good is going to get left out of the playoff situation in the first round and if they advance after that. And it could be Scherzer that gets left off.

However, if he's great the next three weeks, and I have no doubt he's going to be good, at least good, the next three weeks. And he's got all that postseason experience, I think he would get a start in a postseason game. Now, again, it's all dependent on the next three weeks. And I'll take experience at that time of year, almost over almost anything else,

although when you have spectacular stuff like some of the Mets do on a different level, they're going to take these young kids with spectacular stuff and say, go get them, let's see, forget about the inexperience. We'll take stuff over inexperience any day. I understand that, but when you

have an experienced pitcher who still has very good stuff like Max Scherzer, I would want him starting for me in the post. Well, I think we're fairly confident. Again, Jay's Yankees, Tigers, Houston, are going to make it. But all of a sudden, we've got to race for that third wildcard spot.

Seattle, Texas, Kansas City, Cleveland. As of today, if you had to pick one to make the playoffs, which team's going to make it? I think the Red Sox are going to make the playoffs. And, well, we get two wild cards, and I think Seattle's going to make the playoffs, meaning I'm not betting on Kansas City or Texas. to say Texas, because the way they've played lately, but without Marcus Simeon, without Corey Seeger, their health up in the air at the moment, I don't see Cleveland, Kansas City, or the Rangers overtaking the Red Sox or the Rays or the Mariners for another wildcard

spot. Always great catching up with you, Tim. We'll do it again soon. Thank you for this. Okay, fellas, take care. See it. Tim Kirchon of ESPN, joining us on the Maple Toyota Hotline, Drive the Built-In Canada, fuel-efficient, fun to drive Toyota Route 4. Gas or hybrid models available. Visit mapletoita.com. The biggest songs in the world. You've heard them countless

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