Blue Jays Morning Brew: Podcast, Pompey, corn mazes

Aug 31, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson (20) high fives designated hitter Dioner Navarro (30) after beating the Baltimore Orioles 5-3 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 31, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson (20) high fives designated hitter Dioner Navarro (30) after beating the Baltimore Orioles 5-3 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays enter Thursday at 76-57, two games ahead of the Boston Red Sox in the American League East

It’s a day of rest for the Toronto Blue Jays. A day off on Thursday precedes a three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays which kickstarts a run of divisional play that runs up until September 14th.

The Blue Jays brought Aaron Sanchez back into the fold on Wednesday and he didn’t skip a beat, leading Toronto to a series win. Here are some stories that you may have missed, ready to fill up your baseball-free day:

The Jays Nest Podcast, Episode 88
Shaun Doyle of Jays From the Couch and I are back for another episode of The Jays Nest Podcast, prepping you for the playoff run. We discuss the addition of Dioner Navarro, the state of the American League East, and much more.

You can listen to this episode using the player below, but why not make it easier on yourself by subscribing to the podcast? Along with iTunes and Stitcher, the show is also available now on Google Play.

Subscribe for iOS / iTunes     –     Subscribe for Android


The Jays’ Nest Podcast- Talking Toronto Blue Jays – Jays Nest #88- Blue Jays September, Navarro & More!

Six-pitcher rotation here to stay… For now
Pitching coach Pete Walker tells Ben Nicholson-Smith that the Jays will carry on with their six-pitcher rotation. With Aaron Sanchez now fully entrenched as a starter, keep an eye on Francisco Liriano to make a move to the bullpen towards the playoffs if Brett Cecil does not find a left-handed partner.

Pompey on his challenging season
An emphasis on Dalton Pompey’s long-term development has seen him leapfrogged to the MLB roster by Junior Lake and Darrell Ceciliani, and in a recent talk on the At The Letters Podcast — via this Sportsnet piece by Jeff Simmons — Pompey discusses how he’s dealt with the challenging 2016 season. Still just 23 years old, Pompey remains one of the Blue Jays top prospects despite no longer qualifying as a true “prospect” by definition.

Getting corny
Who better than a family of Maritimers to bring The Bat Flip to life in a most original form (am I showing my geographical bias again?). From Andrew Stoeten at Blue Jays Nation, check out this Jose Bautista-themed corn maze created at the Hunter Brothers Farm in Florenceville, New Brunswick. “1-1 from Dyson, Bautista with a drive–“

Related Story: Now that we're in them: How to survive the dog days

The chip on Rowdy’s shoulder
Top Blue Jays’ power prospect Rowdy Tellez recently spoke with David Laurila for a great FanGraphs feature that can be found here. In discussing his plate approach and swing, Tellez says that he has honed in on studying Adrian Gonzalez and Anthony Rizzo.

A personal angle on Dioner Navarro’s return
All Major League transactions make an impact at a level beyond the bottom-line ticker. Here is a wonderful story from Stacey May Fowles on her own connection to the Dioner Navarro trade, which was met with a level of positivity rarely seen in professional baseball.

Schedule