OverDrive - OverDrive - October 29, 2025 - Hour 1 - Steve Phillips

Episode Date: October 29, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Blue Jays' Game 4 win against the Dodgers, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s commanding showing in the matchup, how Toronto can win Game 5, the Maple Leafs' victory to the Flames, the team leading the way in the Atlantic Division and who has started the NHL season in the positive direction. TSN Baseball Insider Steve Phillips joins to discuss the Blue Jays' win tying the series, the winning identity and how the team can take the lead.

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TSN 1050 on the TSN app, your home smart speaker, up on TSN4. Brian Hayes, the old dog, Jeff O'Neill, Jamie Noodles, McClennon. What's going on? What's going on? How are we feeling this afternoon? Great to see both of you fellas, some news and notes, noodles yesterday.

Jonas and Hayes were doing some goaltender assessments again. We'll have to get into that and possibly have a new segment

called Did Jonas say that referring goaltenders? And just about 10 to 15 minutes ago, my dear friend Richard the Griff

Griffin absolutely put Hayes in a clamp in a clamp and squeeze the life out of him on our station, we'll have to get into that as well. Love it.

Anyway, back to regular programming. I'm curious. I am quite curious where Griff gets off taking a run at me on my own station. Can we? Before we get into the Balsy Jay's game, can we just hear what Griff had to say? Like, is it too early to hear this? It's probably too early. Yeah, it's probably too early.

We have to clip it. I don't think anyone really cares, but, yeah, I'm sure we can get to it later on. and listen why would you start negative like what would be the purpose of starting negative the lease one last night the blue jays one last night why would we want to start a fight why would you want to start getting on my nerves at 4 p.m i'm not in the mood but you know we'll get to it i'm sure at some point i'm sure we'll get to it at some point well it should be happy wednesday isn't it i figured it would be but this guy and dougie old dougie the investigator i'm going to have words with him after the show i can guarantee you that Well, okay, walk me through, I mean, your feelings on the game. I thought it was outstanding.

The Jays game, yes. I thought it was incredible. I thought the least played well last night, too. I don't know if it matters because you played Calgary. You know, unfortunately, Calgary is so awful. I don't know what you take out of a win like that, but I thought the least, you know, deserved to win. They won. They found a way to get a win.

Good for them. And the Jays, I mean, tied two, too. World Series. What more could you ask for? Beaver pitched well. Yeah, it was awesome. It was great. It was awesome.

It was just a fun, fun night. One of the grittiest wins in Toronto sports history, man. Like, you look at them with their injuries and the guys out and Vladdy hitting a bomb off Otani and just getting it done. Like, what a team, man. Like, they're so easy to fall in love with just getting it done. Like Bassett coming out of the bullpen. Like, it's just everything about them. It's just impossible not to love these guys.

Impossible. Well, in this one in particular. Vladi on Otani, that's history. Like, that's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. It's a massive two-run, home run against Shohei Otani at Dodgers Stadium in the World Series. Clip that, throw it online. People will be searching for that reference two, three, four hundred years from now. Thousands of years from now.

You'll say, give me a great moment. Thousands of years from now. Give me a great moment in World Series history. Well, you've got to finish the job, though. That's the thing. Of course, of course you do. This leads, Jay's and home runs postseason has only played in one. Yeah.

Or no, it hasn't only played in one, but. Yeah. Most home runs in Blue Jay's postseason history, Ernie Clements got what a 10-game hit streak going. That's impressive. Ernie diving into first last night, there's nothing more impressive than a head for a slide into first base. It's a ballsy play. If it plays out and it pays off, it's an awesome look.

It is a weird look, though. Not a lot of guys do this. that. I know Robbie Alamar was a specialist at it. He loves sliding into first. I don't remember a ton of guys doing it, though, man. Not a lot of guys do it. And generally, it comes down to who's fielding the ball, like a race for first or whatever it is. Yeah. Yeah, it was a great night. It was a great night. And ideally, they close the deal, and then everything, Blue Jays would be positive. And we can look back on all these different references. And that'll be great. But, you know, as of now, it's two, too. That's more than the Yankees did last year, right? The Yankees lost in five. Not that that matters right now Or that you're comparing yourself

Simply to New York But in terms of a great world series I think we're in store for one Best two out of three now Can they get greedy though Hayes Like that's the goal now Get greedy Like you're bringing it back to Toronto

Can you get greedy with a chance to win it On Friday night in T dot I don't know Can you get to snow with those That banged up line up man I think they can I mean doing it twice in a series is not easy no that wasn't very good they got to him in game one they got to him in game one

you know they're going to line up they're going to have their lineup and springer's not here and that's a big miss and he wasn't there last night and you guys can speak to it they know if he's playing or not right Snyder's going to say publicly play the game we'll see he's hour to hour the players know if he's done and i would guess they think he's done but we'll see it didn't look good just you know if it's the knee injury you can limp it off and all that like to swing the bat like that that's that takes a different types of if it's an oblique injury or whatever it is like you could tell he was immediately in in discomfort so i i don't know i don't think he comes back that's my person maybe he comes shows up with heroic effort tonight but

you know ultimately i i think you're savage if he puts a clinic on then that's that's a statement big time that's the difference yes for me big time then you've you know then you're going home up three too you're guaranteed to come home which i think is obviously significant it's pretty amazing and even if they lose tonight i still think they have a real shot at winning the world series but if you win tonight you know then you're coming home and you are flying high and yes yamamoto will be waiting for you and game six and that is not going to be fun or that's not going to be easy dude but you got you got to worry about tonight before you worry about anything else exactly get after snow and you hope you get a start out of your savage right he's hitting the road for the

the first time. This isn't something he's used to, man. Game 5, like a decisive Game 5 Dodgers Stadium World Series. I guess there's no reason to believe, like, the nerves will kick in now because they haven't kicked in yet, but this is a completely different beast for him.

I don't think it'll be that big. Like, when you got a kid that's just a stud like that going out there, Hayes, and doing what he's doing, I just, I hate the injuries, man, because it just makes you look back, and it's not a loser mentality, but you think about what Shed is at right now, and Springer, you just think, man, if everybody's healthy and dialed in right now,

I just don't want to look back on the series with that loser mentality of something bad goes on, and you're like, man, if we were just healthy, they would have had a better chance. I just, I don't know. I know it's a war of attrition, and it's a long playoffs, but just seeing the guys banged up like that, it's just, it sucks for them because they need everybody on board, man. Yeah. I hate it. I hate it.

Last night, it was all good. Yeah, exactly. one off and he's still got to get two more but last night it worked out exactly you needed that like you needed that you can't go down three one you needed it must win last night it was a must win in the sake of must wins it was but they get it done convincing win you know vladdie good storyline like to me there's it clement is an interesting one for me because this guy is is been so steady and so consistent and he's not i mean he's a household name here now but he wasn't a household name six months ago.

Like, that's the, you know, people knew of him and that, but it just, I'm so happy for him because that's a, that's, that's the definition of an unsung hero. Big time. Big time. For a whole season, you're right. Right. Changes his whole life, his whole career. Right.

You know, we'd have to look up his contractual situation, but he's not making a lot of money. I think he makes one nine. Yeah, and he hasn't been making money, you know, throughout his career. And it makes you wonder, I don't know what the options are. I don't know what his contract. is like, but he's going to get paid now, and he's going to be in the major leagues now for a while, right? If it's not in Toronto, which it will be, but if it's not, someone else will say, I'll take

it, I'll take Ernie for a few years, right? Like, he's shown so much this year, and he can defend, he can move him all over the park. He's played everywhere. He's played right field, second base, third base. Ultimate utility guy. Ultimate utility guy. And that's seventh inning, man.

That's what they do. They sent nine guys up to the plate. It starts with Varsho into Clement, into Jimenez, into France. You know, they walk flaty, and then Bichette has the biggest hit of his career. And it just rolls over and rolls over and rolls over. Yeah, it was an incredible out of considering what happened the night before. Like, it really, it was on a platter for them to kind of fall flat. Maybe we can't catch up with these guys.

Maybe it's just not going to break our way. We lose in the 18th inning. It broke their way last night because they decided it's going to break our way. You know, and that's the sign of resilience and the sign of a team with character and winning habits. We can use every cliche in the book, but in the end, it's 2-2 in the World Series. One of the balsiest wins in Toronto Sports, man. Yeah, absolutely. It's got to be.

I don't know what a top five list was because there's such a long list of playoff runs, and it's obviously a long time in history. But one of the balliest, like you said, the way things went in 18 innings, it would have been. I told you guys about my experience where you lose that triple overtime game and you're just out of gas. and the other team's got the mojo and to show up and get it done. It's just so impressive. Like I said, everybody in Toronto is in love with these guys. You just watch CP 24 and people talking about them.

And it's not about like the flashy stuff. They're just like these guys got jam, they're blue-collar dudes, and they just find a way to get it done. And everybody in the city is in love with them, and they deserve it. Deserve all the love in the world. You're right. I mean, 100% approval rate across the board. And that is rare and uncharted.

chartered territory but they deserve it so we got game five of the world series tonight steve phillips on that a little bit later this hour again the uh the frozen frenzy was going on yesterday everyone's so jacked up for that six what about on a tuesday during the world series the frozen it just fell flat personally for me i watched the leaf game and then it was all jays all the time i was not flipping around to watch the seven hockey games that were still on or whatever it was. But it's more for the States. It's an ESPN creation.

It's a cool idea. It's a cool idea. But I don't understand why it doesn't, like, Thursday or a Saturday or something. I don't know. It just seems like this big thing for the NHL and you're doing it on a Tuesday during the World Series. And obviously, they couldn't predict that the Js were going to be in it. But it doesn't matter. Everybody watches a World Series.

Yeah, it staggered starts, too. It's a bit weird. Like, we started at like 7.53, you know, so it was just the, You know, you're watching, I was watching the Leaf game, and, you know, that was an early start, obviously, with the Jays and all of that. So that one was a weird one because I was on Central Time, but you're like, oh, you know, the Leafs are starting. Was it a 6 o'clock local starts? Yeah, 6'8 or 612, they dropped the puck. And, you know, so there was just a lot of moving parts, but I, you know, they won.

I, it's weird. Calgary is not a very good team. And Calgary was handing pucks away. you're trying to decipher if it was the Leafs 4-check or it was just really poor play by Calgary. That's my point, noodles. I didn't think the Leafs look that. I thought they were okay. I thought they were good.

I heard some people talking today like, man, the Leafs were dialed in last night. I was like, I did that game. I just don't know if I saw a scene that was like really dialed game. I just thought that Calgary was that bad. Look at Calgary on this overtime winning goal. Like, that was an absolute circus. I have no idea what the hell they were doing. But what are the Leafs supposed to do?

Not except the turnovers and score. But it lost in all of that. Domi and Nyes ran into each other. It was a clown car in that whole play. And then it was like, oh, well, Wegered. He's got it on the forehand, and he decides, I'm going to take it to the backhand and then lose. Now, two really good plays on that. Tavares hunts that puck down and helps turn that puck over.

Same thing with the Backland turnover on the Nye's first goal. Like, those are good plays. place but they're really brain dead plays by flames veteran players so you're going is it the chicken or the egg that was the thing i was like those are bad plays by pretty good players on the flames but good on the leaves for take advantage of them so i wasn't sure if it was like the forecheck of the leaves or just how poor the flames were put it that because like that game winning goal by max he literally runs into nice they run into each other and weager bumbles it to to varus so i don't think that was like a planned thing it was like okay we'll take that buck and go score like off a whiteboard

on a bottom line is leaps needed some depth scoring and max got two goals yeah they got it and nize i thought you know contribute i guess that's where i'm coming from like we've i think deservedly so been tough on the leaves they haven't played great and you know last night i thought they capitalized when they had to yes it was a tight scoring i guess a close game in the end four three and they were chasing it they were down one nothing after 20 but But, you know, yes, Calgary is really struggling. There's no, you can't sugarcoat it. It's a real, they're in a really bad place.

Really bad plays. This play, it was a good play, but Backlin is a veteran. He's going uphill and then decides to turn back. You're like, oh, my God, what's going on there? But again, I think savvy by Willie in a beautiful play by nice. So, yeah, I don't know. I'm not going to hammer the Leafs and say they should have won 10-1 to prove something. They're 5-4-1.

they play again tonight they got the job done you had to beat calgary and they did it you know and listen their whole division basically won last night outside of ottawa you know but everyone else is the whole thing is tight like montreal wins again last night Detroit wins last night but everyone else says the same record it's nine 10 11 points through 10 games that's great everyone's the same more or less that's why you have to take care of your own and that you've got to find ways to get points every night. They haven't played a team in the playoffs until, I think it's November 9th. It's going to be Carolina.

I mean, you know, they've got to find a way against Columbus to get points tonight. Like, you've got to look at it. You've got to chip away and just take care of your own. Regardless of how you do it. Let me ask you guys this, Jamie. Yeah, go ahead. If you could pick two teams on January 1 that you would guess would be separators from the division and move away from the pack, who would the two teams be?

Hayes, who would your two teams be that would separate? In the Atlantic Division. Like, as of now, you'd say Montreal, but I can't see as, I don't think I'm comfortable saying it's a separator from Montreal. You don't think Montreal is good enough this year where they could kind of be like the Tampa Bay of the past? Well, that's what I'm saying. Separator is like 112, 114 points, you know, or on pace for it. I'm not saying 114 points right now.

But that's what it is. I think the separators and 104 points. It might be 108, though, Brian. I think a lot of these teams are going to end up with something in the 90s. So maybe 105, 106, 107, 808 type of thing. So it's relative. Let's just get to January 1st, a couple teams that might pull away from the pack. Let's not go with a hundred forty.

I got one. I got one. Tampa. Tampa's had a porous thing. Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa. I don't see Tampa is the best team in the Atlantic on paper, not even close. Hands down. Hands down, the best team on paper? Best team on paper, yes.

Based on what? goaltending, defense, and forwards. That's where Jonas came in yesterday. Jonas, like I say, Jonas couldn't find his ass. Has it been good so far when it comes to goaltending. Jonas, if he placed his hand in his back pocket, he still couldn't find his ass when it comes to the goaltending. Don't pull a griff.

Don't pull a griff and start taking shots at people. I am very confident in my ability to assess goaltending. I would probably lead towards your assessment over Jonas' as well. but a fair assessment thus far as Vasilevsky has not been on top of his game I think that has to be a fair assessment campus won three in a row did you watch him play the other night yes well last night I wasn't watching their play I didn't watch Anaheim no I watched two nights ago or three nights ago when they played Vasilevsky was unbelievable they won

two one he was I'm very very comfortable you're bullish on Tampa I think it's extreme I will challenge you on the idea that they're far and away the best team on paper six players on in the TSA in top 50 what does that mean you voted for it aren't you on the did I don't know if I had 60 I don't know if I had six guys

I'd have to go back and look I don't think I did I probably had Vasoloski I know I had him point Kutcherov Gensel Hagel no Gensel I might add Gensel I'd have to go look back but I probably had five or six Florida players

too, right? I mean, I'm sure I had four or five minimum. I hear you, but yes, but those guys were on the team last year at Noodles and what happened? Didn't mean anything. The Leaves won the division and Florida spanked them in the first round. The Leafs are a lesser team this year than... Because one guy's off the top 50 list that's not on their team. Well, it happens

to be a pretty darn good players. He's a great player. It's a great player. It's not like they've lost, you know... He's a great player. He's a top 20 player. Yeah, I don't think it's the fact that they lost them. It's not really replacing them and and and and their d or older and slower that's the problem i have agreed agreed that's and the goal tending has come back down to earth that's the problem that i have everything that hit last year hasn't been hitting yet yet i like i say i believe the separating team is tampa that's my

opinion though i'm like you're entitled to that i'm i'm not even right necessarily disagreeing that they like they have the possibility to do it just they have not had a good start no you know and and And they're older, too. Like, Hedman's not a young guy. He's still a great player. He's still a great player. Vasilevsky, you know, I thought, you know, what was he the second best goal in the league last year? He was on my top 50.

He was on my top, yeah. I had him on my top 50. But, you know, that's not an exact science, and it doesn't guarantee anything. I'm just saying, like, I'm trying to make a point. It's on paper. I'm very comfortable with them. Okay. They haven't played well yet.

And I'm not going to disagree with that. They're 500 team right now, just like everybody else. But I don't know if there is a separator I guess that's what I'm getting to Okay, that's a good point I don't know there is I think it's the Montreal Canadiens Really

You think everything's just falling I mean they've had such a great start And they're a talented team But is there any chance that There is a market reset with Montreal Like Dobish is 6 and 0 Do you think that their rookie goaltender Is going to end up 42 and 0 this year

No they're going to fall back on Montemblow And he'll be probably Yeah Montemble is a good goal He's not had a great start. I think, yeah, he hasn't had a great start. And if Dobish stumbles, he's going to be right there to get his job back, I think. I don't know. They just got a fresh vibe to him.

And obviously right now with Cole Caulfield seemingly doing this every night, he's going over time. Damn it has been really good, too. Yeah, that Cole Cawfield, when I watched that guy play in the world juniors, I said to myself, his jersey was so big, I was just like there's no way in hell this guy's playing in the NFL. Like, no way in hell. He looks so small. Tiny.

And he is so good. It's crazy how good that guy is. He's a speed and his shot. You think he's on the American team? I think they're stupid. He didn't make it in the Four Nations. Dude, I don't even think he got a sniff, to be quite honest with you. I think Billy Garon wants big, strong.

And, I mean, who did they scratch in the gold medal game? Kyle Conner, I think. Kyle Conner was scratched in the gold medal game, I think. But if you put Brock Nelson on this team over Cole Calfield, that's crazy. crazy. Isn't, like, that's crazy. Was Nelson a winger, though, or did he play center? Like, that's the only difference.

I think he might have been. Maybe he was playing fourth-line center. I don't recall exactly where he played. I mean, it's positional. Oh, that's the thing. If you want Nelson a tall, like, long, strong centerman, then Coughfield doesn't even fall into that conversation, right? You're looking at a winger.

I think Cawfield has to be in the conversation. He's been unbelievable. But you're right. Like, everything this guy touches seems to, find the back of the net i i was watching that game montreal tried to give it back it was three cobb and then then seattle scored three really quick ones montour was involved in all of them and then coffield said we're going to take it home here in overtime he's been unbelievable i think this montreal team i think they're for real but i don't know how real oh that would be my

i guess that's fair well again we're like we're hanging we're getting hung up and i am on like the word separator. Like, separator again indicates, like I said, one, 12, one, four, like that's Boston a few years ago, which was extreme. Well, that is extreme. I'm just talking about not dealing with the bungled up kind of middle of the pack and everybody jockeying positions on a week basis. And it's fair to say if you think everyone's going to be in that position the whole year,

like all year long. The thing is I don't because I don't trust Boston on the other end. You know, Buffalo's been better. I still don't think they're going to be truly in the mix. I think Buffalo and Boston probably fall back. And then everyone else is kind of in it. So, you know, that's kind of how I would see it right now. Does Detroit come back down to earth?

Does, you know, does Florida wake up? It's kind of a weird time, guys, in the season. Because everybody is saying right now, I just don't know about them. I don't believe in them. I'm not sure about them. But then come American Thanksgiving, which is not that far away, everyone's like, well, it's been, you know, since the beginning. of time when American Thanksgiving, that's what you are and you rarely change, which is kind

of true. Not a lot of teams change what they are after American Thanksgiving. You're right. You want to go to the St. Louis Blues a few years ago when they won the Cup in 19. They were the worst team in the league in January 1st, and they turned it around. Other than that, there's not a ton. Which is still about another 10 games, though, oh. So you will get that.

We might see a correction. Here's the question I have for both of you, because we're talking Atlantic. The one that I still, I would not say that I can't figure. out but I want to see where they go the Pittsburgh Penguins are you a believer or not a believer I am I am I am okay I am

well what do you want to put on the line I got a five hunch that I got a five hunch that pits for real done okay but good man define real playoff team or like trading playoffs it can't be real and finish tent in the east okay but but

my thing is Kyle Dubus it seems like that team was open for business it seemed like everybody was available we had our chats is sid going to ask for a trade all of that this team is seven two and two and for real and their goaltending's been really good eric carlson looks like eric carlson not rick carlson that got there um you know they've been relatively healthy rickale's injured which is a six to eight week injury, which is interesting because his name was always being bandied about as a potential

trade to the Edmontons, the Toronto's, all of the teams that are coveting top six forwards. Brian Rust is another guy that people have interest in. Is Kyle going to stay the course if the team continues on, or are they going to trade and still stick with the plan coming into the season? Because we all thought, and not that we're experts, but we all believe that Pittsburgh was going to be a bottom of the barrel team. The only team that was basically every player was for sale outside of SID. And now Gino's turned back the clock.

You've got players playing well. Brazzles has been good. Manta's been good. They've got vets. They've got some size. So, but your Friday segment for the NHL, good Friday segment of Halloween and who's a ghost or who's a goblin or something like that. Who's for real? All right.

And who's got a costume on? Trick or treat. Yes. Yes, that's a really good one. Because there's... Who's tricking and who's treating? That's the one I think... Right on a platter for us.

Yes. Because the Atlantic, I think there's a bunch of good teams in the Atlantic. They've just got to figure out their game. The Leafs included. They've got to have... Leaves are a good team. They just got to get consistency. That's really what it is.

They're not there yet. Austin isn't there yet. Willie isn't consistent enough. Austin is not really that close in my eyes. Let's like, I don't know what you guys see. Not there yet. Yeah, like he is not, it doesn't seem like he's overly, you know, dangerous right now or that close to, like, breaking out.

And I don't think we might. Now you're going to. What she puts up three tonight. That'd be great. He does. I think he likes Columbus. Like, I'm still waiting for it to happen. You know who's hearing the Mike, the Myers music is that Coronado from Calgary.

He was scratched the game before. just signed a massive ticket, and he did not have a fun night last night. So is it him, or is it Craig Conroy who's hearing this? No. I don't know, but I think he's going to be scratched again in Ottawa. Like, that's where it was heading from the skate today, so that's tough sledding for him. They had that Parake and Coronado as potential health of scratches for tomorrow against Ottawa. Seven million dollar ticket.

That's what I'm saying. That's fully guaranteed. Fully guaranteed. He's a good young player. These kids are just not You look at that team Who's a superstar on that team? I got one for you

And I think it's the goalie He's going to be a star player Wolf has the potential to do that Yeah But you're right other than that It's just a bunch of You know, good players Good veterans

But yeah there's not a lot of And Cadry I didn't think had himself He hasn't had a great start Banner Knight You know It hasn't Everything's gone against them man It is

It's weird how a team could go from so good and having so much positive mojo last year to everything just falling flat. Like that is weird to be that far off, man, to be the worst team in the league. That's concerning. It's a big flip. It's a big flip. We'll get to some hockey later. I've got to fill you in on Bedard.

Got a chance to lay on this kid last night, eh? Started to come around, man. He's good. Well, him and Celebrini, right? Celebrini's a rock star right now. All right, so we'll get to that a little bit later this afternoon. Johnny coming up. We got Steve Phillips on Game 5 of the World Series.

What does he expect out of the pitching matchup? What does he expect the lineup to look like tonight? Again, George Springer not expected to be in it. So we'll catch up with Steve, get his take on last night, tee up tonight. We'll do that next. Overdrive continues, brought you by Fanduel, bringing you more ways to play your game, your way. Mike Johnson, in about a half an hour, Leaves Columbus tonight. 16 games in the NHL last night, won tonight.

Pretty sure the Leafs are the only team playing. Yeah, they are. So it's all Leafs, all Js. You got Leaves Columbus, I guess, overlapping with Jay's Dodgers tonight. I have a feeling I know where the majority of people are going to be tuning into tonight. And that would be game five of the World Series. And it would be such a different vibe if the Dodgers found a way to win that game last night. But it's not because they didn't.

The Jays found a way to pull it out. And it's tied to two, two. Now it's the best two out of three. Homefield Advantage swings back to the Blue Jays. Trey Asavage, Blake Snell, tonight. Here's Steve Phillips. Steve, how would you describe that win by the Blue Jays last night? Well, absolutely gutsy effort on their part.

And, you know, once again, they show tremendous resiliency. When you think that, you know, you're not going to come back from something that this will be the thing that caused them to lose the series, they bounced back. And I think it was important for, you know, with Springer going out, for very, Vladdy to come up with the home run, I think was critical that, that, you know, it's Lucas who took Springer spot in the leadoff position, getting on base, and Vladdy hit in the home run because it sent a message that the most predictable player was playing predictably, so we're still okay, like this is who we are, and we just put the next man up there getting the job done, and the batts came to life from there, and that seventh inning, breaking it

open was huge. Beaver was terrific. I was worried about him early. He could command his fastball. He couldn't command the secondary pitches. I don't like those early walks. You know, he walked Otani, then he walked Muncie in the second. But, you know, they were able to find a way to

limit what the Dodgers did and Mukhi Beth's struggles continue. Otani didn't do much. And then, you know, the lineup just kept churning for the Blue Jays. So it was a big, big win for them. And now a whole field advantage back in their court, and series tied at two.

Steve, what have you hear it on Springer? Like, do you think he can possibly come back and play in this series, or do you think that's game over for him? My sense of it is, I mean, when, you know, I've seen a lot of these obliques. When a hitter swings, it immediately calls out the trainer and then walks in the dugout and up the tunnel, that's one of those ones where he felt a pop. You know, he felt something really give on him there. And so, you know, you can get injections to try to numb things.

You've got to get the right spot. But, you know, inevitably he'll swing and feel something or he'll change the swing so as not to feel something. And the risk you run is that if he's going to DH, then Bichette's going to have to play second, which means that if Springer has an bat or in his first at bat, he takes a swing and feels that he comes out of the game, then you're already digging in with somebody else leading off in your lineup, right? So somebody lesser is now in the leadoff spot in the lineup.

And so I don't know how you put him in there and take the shot unless he's taking a full blow at batting practice. And I can't even imagine that he can do that. So I'll be surprised. I mean, I know they're saying hour to hour day to day. But, you know, my experience is that guys don't, this look like a six to eight week sort of oblique, not at least. little tweak that, you know, you take a day and you come back and play.

With Steve Phillips, so we don't have the lineup yet for game five. You know, we believe they'll go back to Schneider, straw in the lineup with Snell on the mound. If Springer doesn't play, who bats leadoff for you tonight? So, you know, I would consider Bichette leading off myself. I don't want Bichet behind Vladty. It came back again in game three for them. You know, when you make moves that you do it because you want somebody who can run a little bit better,

but he doesn't hit the same. You want somebody who can defend a little bit better, but he doesn't swing the same. Then you end up with three guys in your lineup through our lesser offensive players, and they got caught in extra innings in game three, would that be in the case? And so, you know, and I definitely don't want that behind Vladdy. So I might lead off Bichette in the game and go out there with some swag to start with. His at Bats are, but it's pretty good. And that's where I would go.

The Davis-Snyder just, you know, there have been times that David Schneider looks really locked in. He works to count. He could take a walk and get on base. He doesn't look like that right now. And he's got a lot of swing and miss on the high-velocity fastball. And so I personally wouldn't mind. seeing, putting Bichette in that lead-off spot, and then sort of going from there to Vladdy, I don't, there's nobody they're going to bring out of the bullpen that's going to

make me think, oh, geez, I'm worried about that right-handed reliever facing, you know, two righties in a row. There's nobody to bring in and scared me out of that bullpen other than Sasaki late in his splits more served to the left-handers. So I would lead off Bichette, so it'll be, I'm with you. I think it'll be very interesting to see what John Snyder does. Steve, what are your expectations from the kid, you savage? I think it's his first start on the road, is it not?

Like, it's a pretty big deal for the kid. What are your expectations? So I expected to be much better than he was in game one. You know, he, I mean, it was a big ask, you know, having him start game one, yet I understood why they did it. But, you know, he got away from being who he is, and he hardly used his splitter at all in that game. He kept going fastball slider, and I couldn't understand what? what are they doing?

And his split is good enough to throw the right-hand of batterers. Gosman uses it to right, he's the left. He's and his is as good or better with a different release point. So I would really like to see him get back to being who he is. Don't give into the opposition because you think you need to be something different because they're, you know, oh, Tani and Betts and those guys, forget that. Go be your best self. Pitch your best game.

And if they beat you that way, I can live with it. So I do look for him to be much better. I think that he'll make an adjustment, and he's shown the ability to learn. I think he's got good people around him between Gosman and Scher and Bassett and guys like that talking to him about, you know, himself and what he can do and how he can go about it. But I expect it to be much better in the game tonight. Did you see this type of play from Ernie Clement? I mean, you know, I was talking before he came on. I felt like he was like an unsung hero.

Do you see it that way or is there something different there? oh he's definitely an unsung hero i mean but when you're an unsung hero it's because we didn't expect it from you and you know he's a good little ball player there's no question about that but you know who hits 460 or 400 in the playoffs uh and uh you know here's the guy that's been outrighted a couple times you know signed a minor league deal to come in uh and he's just finally figured it out and you know credit the organization for creating an environment where guys can figure it out uh but he is such a solid player offensively and defensively. He does just about everything right.

Quality at bats, an easy, natural swing. It doesn't overdo it. And so I love him in the lineup. You know, and I think about him and the contributions they've gotten from Nathan Lucas and Barger. And for me, I don't want Miles Straw on the lineup. I'm a great guy. Love him on my team.

But I want Barger in the lineup. I understand that it's a lefty. lefty matchup, I'll take my chances, even if he strikes out a couple of times that he might run into one and hit it out of the ballpark where I don't think straw has got the ability and impact the game in that way, you know, in the playoffs, give me people that can hit it out of the yard. So I would love to see barger in there. I don't want him to see him coming out for defense. I don't want to see him coming out for base running. He's a guy for me that stays in the lineup. He's a regular for me now. And in a guy that I would not in any way

find, look for places to take them out because of the situation. Yeah. Well, and that Grant Slammy here was off a lefty in game one. And that's not something Miles Straw is ever going to do. They had straw bunting, you know, with two strikes in the count the other nights. And here's the thing. He better get that down because that's what he is. He has to do the little things right.

He has to take the extra base. He has to get the bunt down. That's his value. defense and doing little things right and so I was disappointed in him not getting that bun time one it was a horrible pitch to punt it was up in his eyes and not the kind of pitch

you've got to take that one anyways but even earlier in the county jabbed at the ball and you know that's one just catch it on your bat and get it down on the ground and so you know I'm okay you know late late late in ninth inning and you've got to lead then at that point maybe you make a move

I don't start doing defense in the sixth inning because so many things change and you've got a pitching staff that sometimes can't keep the ball in the ballpark and so you're going to make a defensive change on a ball that's hit over the head and out of the park I need that guy that can hit home runs still in my lineup until it's the ninth inning we're trying to get those final outs then I'm okay with making defensive moves oh tony was quiet last night struck him out a couple times I got lucky with the second care I think it was a bad call the um was not in my opinion great last night for either team but what do you expect out of

Otani tonight. Yeah, so I think that, I mean, I think he's going to be locked in. He's a great talent. Any situation that is anything other than him leading off an inning, I'm walking him. I mean, if there's any, I'm just, I'm going to put him on base. I am not going to, because Mookie Betts doesn't scare me. Now, it'll basically see the Dodger lineup because Doc Roberts did suggest that he's going to make some changes.

I don't know if that means bets, but give me a hundred times. over, I'm not going to throw a pitch to Otani that I can throw to bets with O'Otani on first. And so I think that that's something to keep an eye on there. And you have to hope that maybe the cramping that Otani's gone through limits his ability for stealing bases. You know, I mean, he was cramping yesterday pitching. He was cramping the day before. You know, obviously he's asking his body, you know, and I've said it before, I think it's his body rejecting being a two-way player. I get he wants to, but his body is saying that it's too much and

you know we're winding it down and you remember you're the most protected guy all season long he came back one inning here, two innings there but you know you wonder whether or not he's going to be able to run the way that he's been able to in the past it should be a blast tonight

we're guaranteed to be coming back to Toronto for at least game six enjoy this evening Steve we'll do it again soon fantastic guys look forward to it Steve Phillips are baseball insider we'll see what happens with the lineup when it comes out where springer falls in line keegan's there at dodger stadium saying i guess he's out there running you know in the outfield i don't know what's

you know what that's worth but he's doing something he's trying to prepare straight lines and then he started to do some curves if you were schneider and you had the opportunity to take one player out of la's lineup tonight otani where you have to pitch to him or snell and then they're going bullpen it's a bullpen game just whatever it's a different player than snell and it's or it's otani i'd probably take otani out i think really i just feel like snell they got them in game one i think you know they line up pretty well against him yeah i mean oh it just who are you replacing snell with i guess if you're telling me they're just going to their bullpen the rest of the game it would be

But if it's, he's being replaced by Yamamoto. I don't ever want to see that. Yeah. That Yamamoto was. He's terrifying. Well, he's still, man. He's got to look to him. He's got these puffy eyes and he looks pissed off.

He looks like he doesn't sleep. He is going to be angry tonight, man. He looks like, what's that guy's name? Pete, the guy that was on SNL. Oh, Pete Davidson. Pete Davidson. Yeah, he does have the dark circles under his eyes. He has the same five as Pete Davidson.

He's just staring aimlessly. Like the camera, the pitchers are on the mound. They know the camera's right on them. And it's just in his, like, dead eyes. And he's just, although they got to him. They did. He scares you.

He scares you. I understand that. And if you told me it was a bullpen, I'd say it's now all day. Like, you go to that bullpen, I'm taking that all day. So, Tani, you can pitch around. They did a very good job of it last night. You know, they challenged them a little bit, didn't give them much to hit. and they effectively took him out of the game.

But Otani still terrifies me because the rest of the lineup isn't that scary right now. Like Steve said, Betz has not done much. I'm worried about Mookie, though, because what if he waits up? He can show up at any point, but he hasn't had a great season, has not had a great series. I said it about Freddie Freeman the other day. I'm like, this guy's not doing squat,

and then he had a big, massive hit. And a walk-off home run to win game three. And a walk-off homer, man. I know. The problem is, is, great players, eventually, like they get there's a reason why they're great like eventually they wake up you just you've got to hope that they sleep you hope that you get to them where it's like okay just it's not their series that that happened like lukey i always say it about hockey players too jami they good teams they

buy each other time like that team in florida their third line with marchant and lundal like they buy the other top line time to get back into a series or whatever with their good play that's the same as the dodgers it's like guys can disappear for a little bit but they have trust in each other that they're going to show up at the right time and for the most part they do Mike Johnson in about 15 minutes we've got some arbitration

we're going to get to today yeah we've got some good options on that front we've got best bets still to come as well overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN4 there must be tons tons of dudes and groups of people that are on fumes

with the J's run like I'm sure there's people at the beginning of the play you know like NHL playoffs where guys are like that's me for some beers and food watch the hockey and it's just a two month like there must be jays fans that are like yeah it's casually get together and let's keep us going if they win that just must be on fumes man absolutely yeah it's i mean it's been a great run but you're right they're late games oh the eight And three threw off your whole motos. That was, did you, I'm sure you guys talked about it yesterday.

Did you guys stay up for the whole thing? I was doing Sports Center live at 312 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Oh, you're an early, you're an early bird. Dude, 15 or 16, I cashed in. I text Hayes. I'm like, this guy's, I don't know what anything I said, but I said, Muncie's going to hit this ball to Arizona. And then after that, I fell asleep with Hayes.

I almost gave up. With me, you and I were stuggling watching the game the other night. I almost gave up in the 12th, and I was like, no, I'm pot committed. And then you're like laying there, and it's the 17th, and it's the, I'm sitting there going, I am exhausted. I'm watching this. I couldn't imagine what those guys were going through, the adrenaline and that. And then sleeping that night and then having to do it the next day at 5 o'clock or whatever. Yeah, comes out to quickly, man.

It really does. 5 p.m. local, because it's in L.A. Yeah. But you're right. You know, I've been lucky enough to, I've been at all the home games, which have been awesome and obviously watching them all on the road. And I'm not partying. Like, I haven't had one beer throughout the whole run.

But like, if you're a neighborhood guys, we're like, let's gather every around the corner at the pub, Boston Pizza, do the Js. Like, that's a long run, man. You're on a lot of beers and wings. I don't think you haven't in you anymore. Like, if you're in your 40s or 50s, you can't. run like that anymore. Dude, there's some warriors, though, man.

You know bar guy, sports guy that can belly up and just last through anything. Yeah, the Iron Man streak. There's Iron Man. I know a bunch of them that they will go to bat and war for each other. Well, like it's every night, man. Like they're playing tonight. Yeah. You know, and I get it.

That's the nature of baseball. Like, imagine the guys haze that got together. I don't know if the bars would have kicked them out for that. late game at three in the morning or two fifty three or whatever the hell it was but they looked each other in the eyes and said be back here for eight p.m. start tomorrow yes exactly like their wives probably must have wanted to strangle them you bring up a great point though like monday night clearly is not a big bar and restaurant night yeah absolutely not and it's it up it would be dead last probably in the list of the seven options and last call here is two a m and i'm sure that's a

scenario where if you're working you know if you're working if you're a bartender or waiter waitress or what have you you know the way it generally would work in a place like that especially kind of a mums and pops shop is the last guy to leave they turn the lights out exactly and if that guy leaves at 830 it's like all right let's just shut it down exactly man yeah they imagine you were working and you're like they're not going to leave yeah there's no one all night i'm stuck here until three in the morning on Monday because the jays and dodgers will not stop playing that's tough and they were having a watch party at the dome how the hell did everyone get home at three in the morning go trains are done you could get ttc but if you live in mississauga or osher or something what are you going to do

right in if you're a warrior with your buddies and you just are on gas and you're just going to keep the train rolling we want to hear from you we want to hear from you we want to hear if you've done the dome for all three watch parties. Yeah. Like, that's a commitment. You're leaving your house, leaving your neighborhood. But, hey, even if you're just cat, like, if you're meeting for beers for a baseball game, period. You're gooned because it's four hours long.

That's right. Pre-game, post-game, you've got to talk about what happened. Yes, break it down. Huge opportunity for a big, big night tonight. All right, hour two coming up. Arbitration and Mike Johnson. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN4.

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