The Toronto Blue Jays are off to a concerning start in the 2026 MLB season, sitting under .500 despite being one of the league's Top 10 payroll teams. On Exit Philosophy, Griff and Mal break down what's gone wrong — from injuries and roster construction to underperformance and bullpen concerns.

With over $104.3M worth of talent on the injured list, can the Blue Jays turn things around once key players return? How much has the absence of Alejandro Kirk impacted the team's defence and stability up the middle?

The guys also dive into the struggles of Jeff Hoffman and debate his role moving forward, plus a bigger-picture MLB trend: teams that regress before and after a World Series appearance — could the Jays be next on that list?

If you're looking for Blue Jays news, MLB analysis, and in-depth baseball talk, this episode covers it all.

INDEX:

0:00 Intro & Big Picture

0:39 Can Other Sports Energy (NHL) Impact the Blue Jays?

5:54 MLB Trends: Post-World Series Drop-Off & Big Payroll Struggles

14:29 Around the League: Braves Surprise & Angels Uncertainty

17:08 Blue Jays Road Trip & State of the Team

22:33 Injury Updates with John Schneider

25:01 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Value Debate (Luis Arraez vs Juan Soto)

31:55 Pitching Decisions: Brandon Yesavage, Jeff Hoffman & Eric Lauer

41:50 Missing Alejandro Kirk & Lineup/Bench Questions

49:32 MLB Business: Los Angeles Angels Sale & 2027 Work Stoppage Concerns

58:36 Wrap-Up & Final Thoughts

#BlueJays #MLB #TorontoBlueJays #Baseball #MLBAnalysis #ExitPhilosophy

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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/