OverDrive - Matheson on the Blue Jays and Yankees' clash, Guerrero Jr.'s surge hunt and the position in the lineup

Episode Date: August 14, 2026

MLB.com Blue Jays Reporter Keegan Matheson joined OverDrive to discuss the Blue Jays and Yankees' massive matchup, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. aiming to break through against New York, Guerrero Jr. 's placement in the lineup, Aaron Judge's injury and the face of the team and more.

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There he is, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. Any inside sources with Rob Manfred and company on the All-Star game coming back to Toronto, Keegan? I texted Rob. He hasn't gotten back to me yet. We'll see. I'm being left on red for now. It would make a lot of sense, though, guys. It's long overdue. We know it's long overdue. And it falls right in line with what you see really in any sport, whether you're being awarded the NFL draft or an All-Star game. Big renovations that the Blue Jays and the league want to show off. And guys, now more than ever,

All-Star games are not just the ballpark that take up the whole city with all of these activations, these play ball events. So downtown Toronto, you've got a lot of space. You got the convention center. You have a lot of places to put things. It makes too much sense. I'll be happy to see it if and when that does come.

But I'll let you know if I get a text back here in the next 15 minutes. Please do. We'll see. Yeah. No, it is long overdue. And it's kind of disappointing, I'm sure, for the Blue Jays, that the renaos took place a couple of years ago

and they got to wait at least until 29 until they get it. Yeah. You know, that's, that's, yeah, the renovations are still relatively new, but they're not fresh. But it is, it is, you know, I'm not, I'm not a huge all-star game guy in terms of watching the games, but I've always understood the value of when it's in your own city.

Like wherever the NHL game is, the baseball game is, I'll give it, maybe the Pro Bowl is cool wherever it happens to be played. because it is about, you know, fan engagement. It's about kids. It's about all those activations. It's about local businesses being able to pop. So there's a lot of benefit to it. And I think baseball in particular, I think most people can see it, if not everyone.

It is the all-star game of all-star games, right? It's been established for a long time. And let's hope it comes back to Toronto. That would be a great story. So in terms of what we can expect tonight, Jay's coming off a really successful series against the Red Sox. yesterday obviously it got away from them but that's okay you take three or four they're two games out of a wildcard spot the goalposts continue to move kegan what are you expecting for the jays this evening but also in terms of the whole

series against the yankees this is the real one you know that yankees and rays are the real ones now you can look at the red sock series two ways and if they don't make a bad error at third base and if Wilson Contreras catches a damn pop-up, we're talking about a much different series. But at the same time, I do think there's something to be said, and it's a skill to outlast the other team and not screw up first. The Red Sox screwed up first a couple of times. Blue Jays were not playing overwhelming offensive baseball.

They were not dominating these teams. They were playing just a bit cleaner. I wouldn't even say better, but cleaner baseball. Just clean baseball does not beat the New York Yankees, and it sure does not beat the Tampa Bay Rays. They are going to need some offensive outburst. Guys, I don't know if we've talked about Vladdy this year. We're like three days away from an entire calendar year.

Without him homering in this building, now would be a pretty good time. He seems to like playing against the Yankees. These are teams where you need offense against. They have TBA pitching for them tomorrow. The Blue Jays do. Probably Simeon Woods Richardson, some combination of bulk guys. They need offense. You're not going to beat the Yankees two to one.

And if they do tonight, we'll just scrub this video completely so I look smart. But I don't think you're going to beat the Yankees, two to one. They need offense. And against the raise, you're not going to outsmart the race in that situation either. You need to play ultra-clean, ultra-competitive baseball. They have momentum, guys. They have that scrappy, feel-good momentum right now. And I think that does matter.

But you need the big guns. You need the big ones against the Yankees. Well, Keegan, we were just talking about the idea of Vladie and the Yankees. Yankees, right? Like, he's put himself on the line against the Yankees, right? He said he hated the Yankees a couple of years ago. You know, he had the thing with David Ortiz after the Blue Jays beat the Yankees in the playoffs with doing the John Sterling, the Yankees lose.

And is this maybe the thing that could put a be in his bonnet, so to speak, and maybe unlock him? The idea that it's those guys in town at a big moment. I mean, we've been speculating when it might happen. And it hasn't happened. I'm assuming it can happen, and would there be a better time than now? Why not, man? I think there's really something to this, because it's not just Vladdy.

It's kind of the Guerrero family, going back to Vlad's Sr. When he nearly signed with the Yankees and then didn't, there's some reason. There's some backstory to this. And Vladdy doesn't just hate the Yankees because he plays for the Blue Jays. This goes back with the Guerrero name, which is a very important thing. And Vladdy, I loved how he played that whole game last year during the playoffs, because every single year, guys, it would be in this room. I'm actually, I pivoted locations today, guys.

I'm coming to you from the podium where John Schneider usually sits because I've finally found some better Wi-Fi. I made them turn off the video board. I don't know if we would have liked all the logos up there, but I'm looking out at all these empty seats here in front of me where I'm normally slouched in the back asking about things after the game. But there were so many New York media in this room, every game asking Vladdy, what about New York?

Doesn't it mean more that it's New York? And he would say, no. And that threw them off because they're used to hearing, now it's all about New York, baby. Come on, we've got to beat New York. He got asked about it and asked about it and asked about it. And he deflected it completely. And then when he beats them, he's dancing around,

drenched in beer, singing Aaron Judge's walk-up song, I'm the king of New York. And he's saying, do Yankees lose on the bride? It means something, man. He's just not going to give that to you when you're New York. So I think this does matter. And when you are a Vladdy, you need something to activate you. You cannot get the adrenaline of the World Series here in mid-August. You just can't. But playing the Yankees, two games out of a playoff spot, feels a heck of a lot different than playing the Kansas City Royals in the middle of May. And if this isn't going to wake you up, I don't know what will.

It's been almost a year since he's homered here in the regular season. It's about time. Yeah, it's about time. And Garikold him out tonight, too. You got Gold tonight. You got Schlittler tomorrow. And you look at the lineup card that was released about an hour ago. Brett Bateman is going to lead off tonight for the Jay. So we got Brett Bateman leading off of the Jays.

Your thoughts. Go ahead, Kegan. Well, it's exactly, as I said, this would play out, guys. You know, all spring. All spring. Amazing. What are we doing here? I kind of love it.

it. I kind of love this because even when you see Jesus Sanchez and Ernie Clement batting eight, nine in these situations, I kind of love that. Nothing else has worked. Try something different at this point of the year. And I like the energy that is around this team right now. A lot of that starts with John Schneider, who's had some great quotes the last few days, which I cannot repeat in full here. There's some good energy with this team right now. And I think you need to take that approach that you would take growing up playing travel ball and high school ball. If a guy's hot, bat him lead off. Get him as many A-Bs as you can. If a guy has some energy, if you have a good gut feeling about a guy, go with it. I'm not saying throw analytics out the window. You still need to use your brain,

but let the heart into the equation a little bit more. If you're going to go for this and try to do it on adrenaline and energy, let the heart into it, make some gut calls, try something different. And sometimes, guys, it's, it's not trying something different because you have information. It's when you're shanking your t-shots and you just take your glove off or you put your wall in the other pocket for your next t-shot. Sometimes it's something dumb. It doesn't need to have a big, bold, explained reason. You just want to do it a little different. And if that means batting the rookies one, two, like we've seen Charles McAdoo leading off, I never thought that would happen, especially in August, but why not? Hey, Kiegan, you know,

you talk about all the changes. We've seen so many different combinations. And I've lost count about how many different lineups they've had. You probably know the number. But it seems like it's a high number. And yet, Vladie remains at three. And I know there's people saying, we heard our good pal, Rich Griffin,

former communications director of the franchise you cover, say, bad, Flattie seventh. Like, let's send a message to Vladdy. And I've heard guys like you say, no, they're not going to do that. They can't do that. They will not, they just, that is not something that will even be considered by the organization. But why is that?

Is that because the relationship with Vladia is so important? They don't want to, they don't want to spoil it. Is that because his ego is fragile? Is that because they don't want to, you know, sort of tell him that they don't believe in him anymore? How do you see it? Imagine you're in Vegas sitting in a slot machine and your X's, X's, you're getting nothing. you're worried that when you stand up, the next person that sits down is going to hit the jackpot, I guess. You know, you're worried that he's going to get hot after you move him, or that you're missing out on the big city.

That would be good if you got hot after you moving. I'm saying it the wrong way. Like, Vladdy, like, you want him to get hot in this spot. Okay. And I want to split the middle with Griff, bat him fifth. You know, like, seventh, that would be a headline. I don't know if you're looking for a headline. I don't know if you're looking for me asking you 10 questions about it if you're John Schneider.

But there's been a long battle between Vladdy and John Schneider. When I say battle, it's friendly. They get along. Don't worry. But going back to single A, John Schneider, for the last 10 years of his life, has wanted to bat this guy number two. Vladdy always likes batting three. That's been the battle for a long time. It's kind of out the window this year.

But I see no problem at all with a move to fourth, to fifth. partly because you can see some analytical arguments, but partly again, guys, to the same reason you're bradding Brett Bateman, number one, shake it up, get him a different look, have him take an ad bat in the second inning instead of the first inning, even if it's just for a few days. But I feel like the Blue Jays are stuck in this place that I frankly understand, which is they think it's about to happen, and they don't want to get up from the table if it's just about to happen in this number three spot with their big bats. but what game are we in right now, fellas? 1-24? It's time to happen. I see no issue at all with the move. I've never had an issue with that. Maybe not as hardcore as 7,

but at this point, man, you've got to have an OPS that starts with a 7. Absolutely, to be top 3 or 4 in the lineup. But nonetheless, Blatty hitting 3rd tonight. Springer will DH again and clean up. And Okamoto, who was at 3rd yesterday, He's obviously back in the lineup tonight. Like, what is Okamoto?

How's he feeling? What are you hearing on him? What are you hearing on Springer? I believe it's been his shoulder that kept him out of the starting lineup a couple of days ago. With those two in particular, Okamoto and Springer in terms of their status and kind of health report, what can you tell us? Now, Okamoto's been real banged up. There were two games there in a row that he got scratched with a left knee issue after he fouled a ball off himself. Now, Okamoto is like he's got the hockey legs.

This guy is built big and thick. Like, he's strong. Thankfully, if you want to say it this way, Okamoto's slow already. You're not losing anything on the bases there. So as long as he's healthy, I think you're totally fine. And if you're going to beat New York and Tampa, you're probably going to need to steal a game because the Blue Jays don't have a better roster,

and we can't pretend they do. You need to just steal a game along the way. And if that's a Kaz Okamoto three-run shot, then fantastic. Having him back in there is a big thing. George Springer seems beat up, too. Now, nowhere near is beat up as he was this time last year. I think half his body was broken by the time we got into the postseason. He seems energized, but that shoulder's tough.

A shoulder issue on any swing is very tough. But the energy that he's showing on the bases. And just his presence in the lineup guys, I think is important. Guys like George Springer, Shane Bieber, Max Scherzerz. These aren't guys who are playing if your team's just trying to go young and play out the season. Just by existing and being in this lineup, I think George Springer is important. because this guy could have been traded. He could be somewhere else, back with the Astros,

chasing the West or making a playoff run. Him being here tells the rest of the lineup, we are trying to make the playoffs. We're trying to make a run at this. And Springer has to be part of this, man. He was the MVP last year. I know it's not all the way back to that whatsoever, but they need his energy, if nothing else.

Yeah, for sure. Jay's Yankees tonight. On the other side of it, Aaron Judge, you know, he has such a presence. And when he's playing, he's always the focal point, but he hasn't been playing for a long time. He said recently he will return at some point.

We talked about it last week. But, you know, you were down there. I was down there for every game in the ALDS. The guy watching him walk around is like incredible. But what's it like being around the Yankees without him in the lineup?

They don't feel like the Yankees. He is the Yankees. I mean, he's however big he looks on your TV, for everyone listening, he is twice that size. It's absurd. I'm not small. He makes me feel quite small. I shook the guy's hand and he swallows you up. He's a massive human being who is the heartbeat and conscience and clean up, you know, most powerful hitter on this lineup for the Yankees. Without them, they're really lost offensively. And you need guys like Jazz Chisholm to step up and play more consistently. You need Bellinger. You need if Jean-Cardo Stanton can run or open a bag of chips by now, like that older We'll see. But Judge is the guy they need, man. Like the latest reports are that he has a shot to come back maybe in August.

But rib injuries are so tough, especially with the amount of torque and rotation he has in that swing. So without Judge, the Yankees are not quite the Yankees. They're still a very good team. But this is not the team from earlier in the season that was running away and looking like a powerhouse. See, he's as important to them as any player outside of Otani is to their team. Absolutely. Great stuff, Kegan. Have a great weekend down there, buddy.

do it again soon. You've got her, fellows. Take care. There is, Keegan Mathis, and joining us here in the Maple Toyota Hotline. It's time to Toyota. Check out the Toyota, Tacoma, and Toyota Tundra pickup trucks, both available as hybrids. Maple Toyota near Canada is one of the Maple Auto Mall. Hey, I'm Ruby Carr, the host of the podcast, Encore. Check out our brand new episodes featuring music from the show that everyone is reheating as we speak. Heated rivalry.

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