On this week's Exit Philosophy, Griff and Mal break down the latest Toronto Blue Jays year-end review from Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins and look ahead to the biggest questions facing the Jays heading into the 2027 season.

With the MLB offseason underway, what could a potential Dec. 1 lockout mean for the Blue Jays' plans for 2027? Griff and Mal examine the potential impact on Toronto's offseason strategy, roster construction and free-agent plans.

The discussion also focuses on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his offensive struggles, what the Blue Jays should do to get Vlad back on track, and whether Ernie Clement should have a permanent role as a starter. Plus, why Randy Arozarena could be an intriguing fit for the Blue Jays in free agency.

Griff and Mal also break down the current MLB playoff picture, including the surprising number of teams from the bottom half of MLB payrolls still competing, and what that could mean for the future of baseball's competitive landscape.

Plus, the guys unveil their projected Blue Jays starting lineup for 2027, discuss the biggest offseason priorities and look at what Toronto needs to do to get back into contention.

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Get the video version of "Exit Philosophy" and "Conversations with Griff" on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@ExitPhilosophy

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For the full catalogue of Richard Griffin's work, including weekly Blue Jays/MLB columns, a weekly MLB Power Rankings column, exclusive conversations with some of the game's greats, past and present, and the Exit Philosophy podcast, visit https://www.griffsthepitch.com/

The Toronto Blue Jays' 2026 season is officially over, and the finale at Rogers Centre was filled with emotion, controversy and plenty to discuss on Exit Philosophy.

Max Scherzer and George Springer received emotional farewell tributes in front of an appreciative Blue Jays crowd as Toronto closed out a disappointing 2026 season. But did the focus on two departing stars overshadow the bigger story of an 80-82, sub-.500 finish?

Then there's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his controversial Spanish-language interview in Baltimore. What happened, how did the comments become such a major story, and what can the Blue Jays and Vlad learn from the situation going forward?

With Toronto's season over, Exit Philosophy also previews all four 2026 MLB Wild Card Series and examines the teams that were the biggest disappointments around Major League Baseball.

Plus, more Blue Jays offseason questions, MLB playoff discussion and plenty more from Griff and Mal.

#BlueJays #TorontoBlueJays #MLB #VladimirGuerreroJr #MaxScherzer #GeorgeSpringer #MLBPlayoffs #WildCard #BlueJays2026 #ExitPhilosophy

INDEX:

0:00 Intro

0:30 Jays' End of Season Drama

1:25 Scherzer & Springer Farewells

9:24 Valenzuela on Scherzer

14:14 Vlad's Controversial Interview

28:04 Jays Finish 80-82

34:43 MLB Wild Card Preview

39:06 2026 Blue Jays Strengths & Weaknesses

45:24 MLB's Most Disappointing Teams

49:20 Giants' Tony Vitello Experiment

52:49 What Do the Jays Need for 2027?

58:33 NFL Week 3 Talk

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Get the video version of "Exit Philosophy" and "Conversations with Griff" on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@ExitPhilosophy

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For the full catalogue of Richard Griffin's work, including weekly Blue Jays/MLB columns, a weekly MLB Power Rankings column, exclusive conversations with some of the game's greats, past and present, and the Exit Philosophy podcast, visit https://www.griffsthepitch.com/

This week on Exit Philosophy, Griff and Mal break down the Toronto Blue Jays' final nine games of the season and the decisions facing manager John Schneider as the Jays navigate a thin three-man rotation and a bullpen that needs to be ready every day.

With the Blue Jays playoff push entering crunch time, can Schneider think outside the box with his pitching staff? What does the bullpen look like down the stretch, and should Joe Mantiply and Michael Lorenzen continue to be used in high-leverage situations?

Plus, Shane Bieber has an interesting conversation with Griff about his future, including the possibility of betting on himself with a short-term contract in hopes of maximizing a bigger free-agent deal down the road—and whether the Toronto Blue Jays could be a fit in 2027.

The guys also look ahead to the Blue Jays offseason, including what Toronto needs to do to improve its offence, potential roster moves, and whether this could be the organization's best rookie class since Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette debuted in 2019.

Subscribe to Exit Philosophy for more Blue Jays analysis, MLB news, player discussions, playoff coverage and Toronto Blue Jays offseason talk.

#BlueJays #TorontoBlueJays #MLB #BlueJaysNews #ExitPhilosophy #ShaneBieber

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Get the video version of "Exit Philosophy" and "Conversations with Griff" on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@ExitPhilosophy

----

For the full catalogue of Richard Griffin's work, including weekly Blue Jays/MLB columns, a weekly MLB Power Rankings column, exclusive conversations with some of the game's greats, past and present, and the Exit Philosophy podcast, visit https://www.griffsthepitch.com/