OverDrive - Rosenthal on the Blue Jays' ALDS win, Guerrero Jr.'s series and the ALCS outlook

Episode Date: October 9, 2025

MLB on FOX Reporter Ken Rosenthal joined OverDrive to discuss the Blue Jays' ALDS win against the Yankees, the impressive batting from Toronto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s rise to superstar level, the atmosphere of the team, if Bo Bichette plays in the ALCS, the team's quest and more.

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A guy that was on the field covering the games throughout the series for Fox and the MLB on Fox also writes for The Athletic, joins us now. Here's Ken Rosenthal. How are you doing, Ken? Very well. How are you guys? We're doing very well. Do you have one moment in particular that you will remember most from the ALDS between the Jays and the Yankees?

I would guess, or I would say, the Vladdy Slam. That was really memorable. And, of course, you're Savage when he was. taken out of the game, the ovation, all of those moments from the Rogers Center, and even last night, obviously a different environment. But the fact that the Jays came out first innings hammering away, that was impressive to me. And I know teams go through these things all year long. We lose a tough game, you come back the next day, and they have short memories. They do, and that's why they're successful. But it was still impressive because that was such a tough loss in game three, and then

they come out in game four and boom boom boom here we go it was only one run but in my view it was a statement right off the bat yeah and i think the fact that it was springer getting on vladdie hitting him in to kind of set the tone last night very very significant and the reputation of vladdie guerrero junior have you can you recall another example where four games like shifted this guy from you know superstar and all that but completely changed his reputation in terms of what he had done in the playoffs in the past, how he was playing down the stretch, and then he had these four games

where it's as dominant as a player can play. Well, when you ask the question, I definitely remember Carlos Beltron way back when having a monster postseason, and that changed the perception of him. That was when he was with the Houston Astros. I'm not mistaken early 2000s. That's a long time ago.

But what was so interesting about Vlad to me was he didn't have a September. And I know going into the series, there was some question, at least in my mind, how much did he miss Bow behind him? And how much of a factor was that? And where was his swing? And it seemed like the layoff did him good. And he got things together. He had said that he got rest for his body, which was necessary. It's always important at this time of year. And for him to rise up, not just offensively, that was the main part of it. But defensively, base running, people who have not seen him play a lot

got the full portrait and the full portrait is not simply a really good hitter with power it's a guy who takes care of the other parts of the game and has dedication to those parts of the game that to me was kind of cool to say Ken what was your vibe around

being around the Jays Schneider always tosses out the cliches like these guys love each other and they'll do whatever it takes next man up like just being around the team What was your takeaway? That definitely is there. And I remember when this talk started in spring training, and basically all 30 teams say the same thing in spring training. Wow, the vibe is really good.

This team is going to be closed. And then some teams succeed and some teams don't, and the vibe changes accordingly. But with the Js, they did say in spring training, and it did carry through. And certainly there is a closeness. I asked Springer in my post-game interview with him after, obviously, the clinching. I said, okay, what makes this group so special?

And that's what he said. We're close. And obviously, Winnie enhances that. But it does seem that they've got a good group and also a welcoming group. So with the trade deadline, when they bring in Bieber and Louis Varland and Saranthian Dominguez, those guys were immediately welcomed. Now, most teams are like that. The Yankees would like that, too, with their new players.

but it is a positive and certainly Schneider has grown in the job as well and that's been impressive to see of course we remember a few years back with what happened with the burrios game and that was a learning experience for him and now he's very open about it how he had to learn from that and had to learn to read the game and not follow a script so he's impressive in that sense as well and during the games i know in canada you're not seeing our broadcast but i interview him the start of an inning. He is completely relaxed in those interviews, much more so than some managers. Everybody reacts differently to them. Some actually don't do them at all. But he's been really relaxed, easy going. It's like, they're good. Yeah. Yeah, he's had that, he's really had

that approach ever since he arrived here. And, you know, last night was a kind of a crowning moment for John Snyder in particular, like going with an opener, a bullpen game at Yankee stadium when the Yankees have their backs up against the wall and only given up two runs man that that was a courageous play and obviously the front office factored in too

as you would know can't I mean they had to make the call and what the roster was going to look like do you think that emboldens them to continue it into the next round or do you think they might tap on Max Scherzer and or Chris Bassett once they get to the championship series that is an excellent question

and your point is really good because the front office did play a role, of course, in the roster construction. And they chose not to include Scher and not to include Bassett. Bassett's somewhat for physical reasons. And go with the four left-handers. That enabled them to have the kind of game they had last night. Now, bullpen games are always risky. And John Smolt said this on our air last night. All it takes is one guy performing poorly for the whole thing to unravel. And yet, the Js did it. They succeeded with it. And it was, reminiscent of the division series last year. Dodgers Padres

game four. The Dodgers went with a bullpen game in San Diego on the road, just like the Jace, and they won that game and then won the series in five. They were down to one. So it's never ideal to do that, but they got really good performances out of everyone for the most part.

And that bullpen's been up and down, right? This year, you guys know this. So to see that it's got to be a confidence boost for the entire group, and it was also impressive to me that Barland was the starter after what happened the night before

and he wanted it and he attacked it and good for him man that was cool too yeah it really was with Ken Rosenthal MLB on Fox and the Athletic Ken I wondered what your gut is telling you about Bo Bichette's availability for the ALCS Well I'm down by the dugouts

during the games and I've seen him in the dugout he's not walking like a guy who is ready to go. He still has a bit of a limp. And it seems to me that if he's going to be on the roster, which I still doubt, it would not be as a shortstop. And there's a good reason for that beyond even his health. Jimenez is a better shortstop. And we all love Beau. Bow's a really good player, of course, and one of the heartbeats of that team. But if he could simply be the DH, and I'm not sure he can or can't, I don't know. But that alone would bolster them, would change them a little bit, of course. But that's, to me, where the decision's going to be. Can they carry

him in that fashion? Would they feel like if he got on base, he needed to run from right away? How does that affect their decision-making? I don't know where he is physically. Only Bo and the Jays now. We're going to get our answers soon enough. Yeah, we sure will with Ken Rosenthal. So we just had a fairly impassioned conversation slash debate about the importance of winning a championship prior to you coming on. And I guess we can apply that to Aaron Judge because another year passes by without him winning a World Series.

How important do you think it is for his overall legacy to win a World Series in New York? Obviously, that would enhance his legacy. But to me, it was more important for him in this series to do what he did, which was to play at a high level

and deliver a big moment. There's only so much one player can control and it's not his fault that they're out here in fact he was the one hitter they had who really produced at a high level so yes he's a yankee and there's a feeling among the yankee people fans and all this that to be a great yankee after win a world series to be like demasio and gerrig and ruth well times have changed it's not as easy as it was back then there are more teams there are more rounds in the playoffs and i actually wrote about this today I wrote about the Yankees, and how you can blame Boone and Cashman.

Yankee fans love to do that, and I get it. It's been 16 years now without a World Series title, but it is so hard to win, and what happened on the field, they lost to a better team. They lost to a hot team. That is all that happened. The Yankees, I know Buck Martinez might disagree. I do not think they're a bad team.

They won 94 games. They actually improve their athleticism, improved their defense. They were a more rounded team. They could do some different things offensively. They're not perfect. No team is perfect. But they lost simply to a Jay's team that ignited in this series and played kind of a gorgeous brand of baseball.

It was such a joy to watch them and watch guys like running Clement and Kirk have his moment. I love this team. The way they go about it, the fact, yes, they're going. They have some star players, but they also have contributors 1 through 26, and that's what's cool about them. And I said this on our broadcast last night. The past couple of years before this, they were not a team that was greater than the sum of its parts.

They were a team that was less than the sum of its parts in my thought process. Now they're a team that's greater than the sum of its parts, and that's the best kind of team to root for. Yeah. And we were talking about their hitting last year. It was just abysmal. And this year that talks about the J.C., they hit everything. quite a turnaround for the organization.

It sure is, and the new hitting group, led by Dave Popkins, gets a lot of credit internally from the players. And really, that's a difference. And it's funny to me, I always kind of cringe when teams fireheading coaches. It seems to me they're scapegoated all the time. But there are examples, and here's one of them, in Toronto, where there is a palpable difference in a team once that change is made

and once a new group comes in with Hopkins leading it and the other two hitting coaches assisting him. So, yes, they made the right call there. He is Ken Rosenthal, MLB on Fox and the Athletic. Great catching up with you, Ken.

Really appreciate you doing this. Enjoy the championship series. I'll see you guys up there. Thanks. You got it. There is, Ken Rosenthal. Big Thing. Baby, what was that? And your first place to hear it all.

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