Guests: Blue Jays infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa, catcher Tyler Heineman    

The Blue Jays had a rare losing week, but still carried a three-game lead in the American League East into Thursday's rubber match against the AL West-leading Houston Astros. Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Tyler Heineman both played huge roles in the Jays securing the first game of the series, and they both join us this week in Deep Left Field.

Kiner-Falefa, signed to a two-year deal before last season, traded to Pittsburgh at the 2024 trade deadline and re-acquired on waivers just before the September 1 playoff eligibility deadline, talks about how he fell in love with Toronto years ago and how happy he is to be rejoining the team for the stretch drive. With Bo Bichette sidelined with a knee injury, IKF is going to play a greater role than anticipated and he discusses that, as well as how much he loves hitting in Toronto.

Heineman couldn't have picked a better time to have a career year. As Alejandro Kirk's back-up, he is currently posting career highs in batting average, slugging percentage, home runs and even stolen bases. He's also throwing out base stealers at a higher rate than he ever has before. Tuesday night he picked up the first walk-off of his career.

All that plus a look back at The Week That Was and your emails on Episode 278 of Deep Left Field!

Guests: Blue Jays home run leader George Springer, New York Mets bench coach John Gibbons and starting pitcher Jonah Tong

September is upon us and the tension of the pennant race has ratcheted up. George Springer knows all about it, having played on three straight division winners with the Houston Astros and he is off to a tremendous September start, with three home runs and a 2.031 OPS to begin the month. Having moved into second place in the American League in OPS, behind only the Yankees' Aaron Judge, Springer joins us to talk about his incredible resurgence this season and what the Jays need to do down the stretch to take the division crown.

John Gibbons was the Jays' manager the last time the team won the AL East, in 2015, and the current bench coach of the New York Mets, who hold the final wild card spot in the National League. We chat with Gibby about his memories of the Jays' great run when he was at the helm, as well as some of the challenges facing the current team. As always, Gibby is the best.

Finally, Jonah Tong makes his first appearance in Deep Left Field. The 22-year-old Markham, Ontario native began his career with a win in his major league debut on August 29. The former Toronto Met who was the 75th-best prospect in the game going into this season according to Baseball Prospectus, made a meteoric rise through the New York Mets' system this year, posting a 1.43 ERA in 22 starts at Double-A and Triple-A combined with 179 strikeouts in just 113 2/3 innings.

Listen here now or at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts Thursday afternoon. If you would like to support the journalism of the Toronto Star, you can at thestar.com/subscribingmatters.

Guests: Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer, left fielder Davis Schneider, reliever Tommy Nance

The Blue Jays are getting set for a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers, who have the best record in MLB, and they'll go into it just half a game behind the Detroit Tigers for the best record in the American League.

Bullpen questions abound, and we discuss those on this episode of Deep Left Field, and also welcome Max Scherzer to the podcast for the first time. The 41-year-old, Cooperstown-bound starting pitcher is showing glimpses of the pitcher who won three Cy Young awards every time out and we discuss his comeback from three months missed with a thumb injury. We also try to get him to compare this Jays team to the three teams he's played on that have been to the World Series, but he's not looking past his next start.

Davis Schneider homered twice Wednesday night and has been red-hot in the month of August, batting .341 with an 1.123 OPS. He joins the show to talk about his turnaround and to sing the praises of his roommate, Ernie Clement, and of Joey Loperfido, who is likely to move back in with them shortly.

And 34-year-old Tommy Nance, who has a 0.90 ERA out of the bullpen in 17 appearances, discusses his long and winding path to the big leagues, his flourishing in his role with the Jays and how excited he is to be part of a September pennant push for the first time in his career.

Guests: Blue Jays top prospect Trey Yesavage, Gold Glove centrefielder Daulton Varsho, rehabbing Jays starter Alek Manoah

This week in Deep Left Field, we head down to the farm and talk to right-hander Trey Yesavage, the Jays' first-round pick last July, as he prepares to make his debut with the Buffalo Bisons - the fourth team in the Jays' system for which he has suited up in this, his first season in pro ball. The 22-year-old has allowed just 45 hits and notched a whopping 134 strikeouts in 80 2/3 innings this year at Dunedin, Vancouver and New Hampshire combined. He'll start for the Bisons on August 14 and the big leagues will be the next stop. That final promotion could very well come as soon as next month.

We also chat with Alek Manoah following a disappointing rehab outing in Buffalo. The former all-star and Cy Young finalist is recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery and in the first Triple-A start in his rehab assignment, lasted just an inning and two-thirds.

Also, Daulton Varsho joins us to talk about watching from the sidelines as the Jays built the best record in the American League and then picking up right where he left off, power-wise, when he rejoined them.

The Blue Jays spent the weekend in Los Angeles almost getting swept by the defending World Series champions and the drama was so far through the roof that a bonus episode of Deep Left Field was required so we could all process it.

From the high of a club-record 45 runs scored over three games in Colorado to just two runs combined in the first two games at Dodger Stadium and just two more through the first seven innings of the series finale, questions were starting to pop up about the Jays, despite them having the American League's best record.

A Sunday loss would leave them with only five wins in their last 14 games - three of them against the worst team in the game. Was the air starting to come out of the balloon? Was the Jays' record a mirage? Can we actually not have nice things in Toronto?

Home runs by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Addison Barger gave the Jays a late lead, but closer Jeff Hoffman gave it right back with a bases loaded walk, then walked three more in the ninth after Ernie Clement went deep to give the Jays yet another lead.

Mason Fluharty, the youngest pitcher on the staff, had to bail Hoffman out, and did he ever.

We go through all of it for you here in Deep Left Field - what happened, what it means, and who does what going forward as the Jays move into the final 43 games of the season.

Guests: Blue Jays rehabbing pitcher Shane Bieber, Buffalo Bisons catcher Brandon Valenzuela    

Two of the Blue Jays' trade deadline acquisitions have yet to make their debuts with the big club, and you'll meet them both this week in Deep Left Field!

Shane Bieber spoke after his first rehab start in Buffalo, in which he threw five innings against the Syracuse Mets, allowing two runs on five hits with a walk and six strikeouts. You'll hear his comments about how he felt, the whirlwind that sent him from Cleveland to Toronto to Buffalo in three days and what he thought of becoming a Blue Jay.

Brandon Valenzuela was acquired in a head-shaking trade with the San Diego Padres, straight up for Will Wagner. The 24-year-old catcher made his organizational debut, catching Bieber in that rehab game, and we caught up with him afterward. The Mexican native discussed meeting Alejandro Kirk, catching Bieber - he said he's never seen anything like it - and the unexpected trade that put him on the road to a potential big-league debut in Toronto.

You'll also hear all about the overwhelming, record-setting series sweep in Colorado as well as a short treatise on run differential, since the Jays added 39 runs to it this week!