OverDrive - Phillips on the Blue Jays' walk-off triumph, playing without Bichette and Bieber's progression on the mound

Episode Date: September 10, 2025

TSN Baseball Insider Steve Phillips joined OverDrive to discuss the Blue Jays' electric walk-off win against the Astros, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s impressive plays in the game, playing through Bo Bichette's injury on the roster, John Schneider's perspective for the team, Shane Bieber's progression and more.

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Here's Steve Phillips, our TSN. Baseball Insider. How would you describe that win last night by the Blue Jays? I think definitely one of the biggest wins of the season, but I've got to tell you listening to you guys. I'm so proud of you guys. You used to accuse me of feeling poly-positive all the time, and now you guys are like you sound like you actually like it

and believe in them and that you're all in on the Blue Jays right now. How can you not be, Steve? All in, Steve. All in. I am so proud of you guys. Thank you. You know, I think that it was a huge win. I'm the day the Yankees lose, too, in really like a bloody manner.

I mean, that was horrible. What happened to the Yankees, nine runs in the seventh inning. You know, they had two relievers that didn't get a recording out, and nine consecutive batterers reached base, and it sort of blew up on them. And then the Blue Jays rally pack like they did. It was, you know, having been no hit for the first five innings of the game, and five of the third. And, you know, not a surprise, right?

The Springer sort of breaks the ice and gets them going. He's been the leader all year as sort of that energetic guy for them. And so it was a big win. Now, you know, now it's the point where you can't give it back, right? So today can't be, well, we're going to have a clunker today. We're going to give back the dramatic move we got yesterday. You know, go out and add on to this one and keep building. But I heard you're talking about, you know, kind of falafa coming through.

Vladdy, and how about the play Vladdy? throwing out the runner at third base. How high in the IQ chart is that play, Steve? That's what I was going to ask you. What he said was that on the foul ball before that, he saw L2e running and he saw that he looked

slow. And so he signaled over to third, if it's to me, I'm coming to you. That is a huge play. I mean, that's Don Mattingly Keith Hernandez-type play from back of the day. You know, those slick-fielding first baseman, Madeline sitting on the bench watching that. He had to be

problem. But the wiping out of the energy for the Astros, when that runner and extra inning gets thrown out at third base, it is a dramatic turn of emotions. So, you know, the JAs have a lot going in the right direction, and everybody's seemingly contributing to it. Yeah, that's incredible. Like, you look at it last night. Vladia obviously made great plays in the 10th inning, defensively and offensively. But it's kind of Folefa who gets the big hit in the ninth. Who cashes the winning run? Mile. straw, right, and Heinemann's the one that brings him home.

Like, this is not Vladi, Bichette, Springer, Kirk. Like, Schneider was deep into his bench last night, and I'm curious how you feel about the manager and the way that he's, he's trying to work things out here because Bichette's not available to him. You know, they're playing

these kind of high intensity emotional games every single night, and he was working it last night, John Schneider. He was after the game, after the first question he got asked, he said, I need a beer. Like, he was so funny in the interview, like, so real, you know, getting, you know, no hit for the first five innings and shut out and being able to sort of rally back and then

the 10th inning, he did a good job. There's no question. He did a nice job using the bench, using the guys that he has available to him. But, you know, I give a lot of credit to the players, too, that they put their performances led to his trust in key situations. And I got to tell you, the counterfelefa claim, when it happened, I thought, where is he going to fit? But now with Bichette down and adding the depth to the middle infield and what he can do,

and look, he's not a great hitter, but he gives you a professional at bat, you know, and able to put the ball in play and battle, did a really great job. And for Heinemann, remember, he came in and pinched ran for Kirk. Now, he's the second slowest guy on the team, but he's faster than Kirk, So he was the appropriate pinch runner there, and then he comes up and that at bat to get the fielder's choice to get the run in to win the game. It really, you know, a lot came together, but that's one at the end of the year. You go back and circle, and you look back on it, I think that was a key, key win for our success and potentially winning the division. So, Steve, you came on saying, okay, the three of us have got our pom-poms out here, and we're talking pretty positive, and rightfully so.

This is a – we're in the driver's seat. I'll use that in Toronto. but any concerns at all, you know, these last 18 games, is there anything you'd like to see sharpen up? Is it just a health of bow? Is there something else that, you know, you have maybe as a manager a little concern down the stretch here? Yeah, so I think a couple things.

One, obviously, Bichette's knee. That's going to be critical. You know, because he came back in and played after he had the collision at the plate in his shin sort of dinged up, I don't think it's going to be anything significant, but you put them on the injured list, and, you know, those are 10 games without your best hitter. And so, you know, I think it's something to be concerned about. I do think Scherzer's back is a bit of an issue. You know, this is something that in past years, late in the season,

he gets these spasms that start up in the upper back work their way down, and he's going through it a little bit. Now, they do have Lauer that Eric Lauer that can put it in the rotation if they need to protect Scherzer with it. But I think more than anything, it's the rhythm. of the bullpen. It's, you know, can they get the level of confidence and consistency out of the bullpen?

You know, I looked at it. Jeff Hoffman is 9 and 6 this year. You know, you generally don't want your closer with a lot of losses, but you also don't want them with a lot of wins, you know, because it generally means that, you know, maybe you gave it up and he got through the inning and he came back and scored. But, yeah, it was good yesterday, and they need to get him stabilized. They need the rest of the bullpen stabilized as well. that they know where they're going, when they're going to them,

and really start to get some rhythm and confidence there because that is going to be their undoing in the playoffs. If they don't advance, it'll be because of the bullpen. It won't be defense. It won't be that they won't have quality of bats. They put the ball in play. They're tough to strike out. It's going to come down to, you know, can the bullpen hold the lead

or hold the deficit to allow them to rally and come back with their good offense. With Steve Phillips, Burrios on the mount tonight. I'd add that into the conversation over the final 18 games, you know, likely three or four more starts, and he has really been struggling. But he's a guy that has shown, obviously, he's a veteran, he's a guy that's available every single five days in every start. He's always healthy, and they're going to continue to trot him out,

especially with what you said about Scherzer. What about Bieber? We were talking about him. He got hit early again last night, but he settled in. You know, that's a couple starts in a row. He's been hit pretty hard in, like, specific innings. I think it was the second inning, his last out. his first inning last night, but then, you know, he still gave them a fair amount of production.

Is that a good sign, bad sign? Where do you stand on Beaver? Yeah, I think he's going to get better over the next several starts. I think that part of what he's going through is, you know, a little dead arm and, you know, a little bit of, you know, fatigue of taking the ball every fifth day that he'll work through and get a second win. He just isn't, you know, this is sort of his spring training, getting through that, getting ready to start the season, or sometimes guys, you know, have these innings or so. But because he's such a pro that even if it gets away from him for an inning, he gets on track.

He gets his feel and, you know, he'll figure out warming up. Maybe he's got to get a better feel for his breaking balls that I think that that's been a bit of the issue where he didn't have his curveball or his sweeper or slider early in the start, but he got to feel for it as the game went on. So maybe in warm-ups, he'll find something to tweak that to get a little different feel for it. But if that's one of their problems, they're in a really good place, right? Really good place. I'll take five in two-thirds innings and, you know, giving up three runs

and giving yourself a chance to win with the offense that they have. Steve, how would you characterize Schneider's kind of year? Do you think just winning? Like, if the team's winning, you say the skip has grown and he's matured and he's showing signs of being a great skip or, you know, just little things like Buck pointed out of your guy gets called. up and he puts them right in the game. Just the way he's managed all the players and what he's done in there.

How would you grade that? Yeah, I think he's done a nice job. I mean, listen, I know they're in first place. They have the best record in the American League, but it's not been easy. No. I mean, you know, they have faced adversity. And, you know, early in the season, it felt dire. And, you know, I think that it does take a steady hand to try to keep everybody going through that

just to get on track and not to panic. And look, you know, I think that he showed some maturity because if anybody might have panicked, it might have been him because if it didn't get turned around early. He might have been out, right? They might have had to make a move just to see if they could salvage the season in some way. And so the fact that he's been able to navigate that and get to a really good place and get the team to this point and then using all the different role players and how he sets up his lineup and who he plays on a given day, he has put guys in a place to succeed.

You know, that's what a manager you want them to do is line guys up, put him in a place to succeed. Now, you know, the bullpen is also his responsibility, and that has been, you know, at times a little bit hit and miss. Some of that goes on the manager. Obviously, most of it goes on the pitchers themselves. But I think overall, I think he's done a really positive and really good job managing the club.

Jay's Astros tonight. Yankees in action. The Sox won last night. 18 games to go. It's going to be a grind. but man, it's fun having intense, meaningful baseball in September. Enjoy it tonight, Steve. We'll do it again soon. Okay, guys, thanks for having me. Appreciate it.

Steve Phillips, our TSN Baseball Insider. Hey, this is Ruby Carr, the host of the podcast, Encore. Weedis Teenage Dirkbag is one of the most relatable songs of all time, but thanks to its impossible falsetto, maybe not the easiest to sing. She said I'll go tickets to iron main. Yes, that famous female vocal verse was recorded by vocalist Brendan Brown in 2000 and thanks to a tech mix up again in 2020.

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