The Ali Moosa Show

• Blue Jays 2025 Season Overview Aliasgar Moosa and ben shulman discussed the 2025 Blue Jays season, which started slowly for about a month and a half, with the team struggling to gain momentum due to slow starts and injuries (00:15:28). Ben Shulman noted that the season began to shift around late May, with the team starting to look like a “pretty good baseball team” though not World Series contenders at that point. The season ultimately culminated in the team reaching game seven of the World Series (00:17:01).
• Team-Wide Contributions and Popularity Ben Shulman highlighted that the team’s success and popularity stemmed from a full team effort, with contributions coming from across the roster, including players at the bottom of the lineup like Addison Barger, Ernie Clement, Tyler Heinman, and Nathan Lucas (00:17:01). They emphasized that the team would not have achieved what they did without every player being a significant factor in winning games (00:18:18).
• Shane Bieber’s Impact The discussion touched upon the significance of acquiring Shane Bieber mid-season, even with them recently coming off Tommy John surgery. Aliasgar Moosa and Ben Shulman agreed that the Blue Jays would not have won the division without trading for him, as they won many big games down the stretch and in the playoffs, including Game 3 of the Championship Series and helping stabilize the series in Game 4 of the World Series (00:19:13).
• Team Financial Flexibility and Roster Needs Ben Shulman detailed that the team spent the money that came off the payroll from Chris Basset and Max Scherzer (about $35 million) on Dylan Cease and retaining Shane Bieber (00:20:07). Aliasgar Moosa suggested that despite acquiring Dylan Cease, who filled the need for a starting pitcher, the team’s current need is more bullpen help. Ben Shulman acknowledged this need, noting the acquisition of Tyler Rogers, but also suggested the team might seek one or two more bullpen arms and possibly more at the trade deadline (00:21:05).
• Max Scherzer’s Retirement and Contributions The speakers discussed Max Scherzer’s season, noting that he had an “up and down regular season” but performed at the biggest times in the playoffs, including a huge outing in Game 4 of the Championship Series and valuable innings in the World Series (00:22:15). Ben Shulman reflected that the Blue Jays and Scherzer would likely look back on the arrangement with happy memories, celebrating that a Hall of Famer like him pitched for the Blue Jays in the World Series (00:23:13).
• Praise for Management and Coaching Aliasgar Moosa extended congratulations to Mark Shapiro for their five-year extension with the team, with Ben Shulman calling it “very well deserved” given the improvements in the stadium experience and on-field success (00:23:13). Aliasgar Moosa also praised John Schneider and their staff for doing a good job in a special year where the team came “ever so close” to winning the World Series (00:24:04).
• Louis Varland’s Record-Setting Playoff Performance Louis Varland was recognized as one of the contributing lower-lineup guys who was probably not a headline at the trade deadline but ended up being a huge part of the team’s success (00:25:00). Ben Shulman noted that Varland pitched more innings than any pitcher in Major League history during a single playoff run and performed well in crucial moments of the postseason (00:25:49).
• Bo Bichette’s Free Agency The speakers addressed the uncertainty surrounding Bo Bichette’s future and whether the Blue Jays will reunite with them, noting that this topic currently occupies the minds of most fans (00:25:49). Ben Shulman stated that while both sides are likely interested, the complexity involves a lot of money and the outcome will have a big impact on baseball because of Bichette’s quality as a player (00:27:00). Aliasgar Moosa reminded listeners that Bichette is a free agent who has earned the right to test the market and choose what is best for them (00:28:02).
• The Excitement Surrounding Dylan Cease Ben Shulman described Dylan Cease as bringing a “very different element” to the Blue Jays rotation as a true power starting pitcher who can consistently throw his fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s. They suggested Cease has the potential to win a Cy Young award and be the best pitcher in the rotation next year, making the move very exciting for Blue Jays fans (00:31:05).
• The Playoff Atmosphere and Fan Experience The discussion covered the atmosphere during the playoffs, which Ben Shulman described as “amazing,” building in intensity as the playoffs progressed (00:31:59). The atmosphere was likened to the 2015 playoff run and described as a “mad house” with people intensely focused on the big moments (00:33:08). Both speakers shared that this World Series run felt like the first time in their lifetime they had seen the Blue Jays truly contend for a championship (00:35:22).
• Emerging Young Talent and Team Likability Aliasgar Moosa mentioned that the Blue Jays are a young team with talent coming up through the Bison’s organization, including Trey Savage (00:36:26). Ben Shulman noted that the team has a lot of exciting parts that appeal to different fans, whether they prefer veterans or younger players, and that the team’s likability has made them very popular (00:37:54).
• Joey Loido and Trey Savage’s Contributions The speakers recalled Joey Loido’s impressive performance toward the end of the season, noting that he improved significantly, especially in making contact (00:38:57). Ben Shulman classified Loido as clearly a major league player, with the challenge being finding them playing time among the other talented players. Trey Savage’s incredible performance was highlighted, as they were brought up from Double-A during a divisional race and made huge starts, including Game 1 of the World Series, which Ben Shulman called “remarkable” (00:39:54).
• Baseball Viewing Habits and Preparation Ben Shulman shared that they watch a lot of baseball, often two to three games a day during the summer, for both preparation and as a fan (00:43:10). They detailed their preparation process for broadcasts, which includes talking to players and staff for stories and relationship building, independent research through reading articles and statistics, watching games, and self-reviewing their own previous broadcasts (00:59:20). Ben Shulman also explained their method of keeping running notes with keywords and key sentences for each series and player to manage the vast amount of information available (01:01:28) (01:03:23).
• Appreciation for Other Broadcasters Aliasgar Moosa and Ben Shulman shared their appreciation for various Major League Baseball broadcasters, including those for the Cubs, Yankees (mentioning Susan Waldman), Giants, Mets (specifically Howie Rose), and Red Sox (00:46:01). Ben Shulman affirmed that they are “spoiled” in the AL East with great groups of broadcasters (00:48:00). They acknowledged the importance of recognizing the broadcasters as professionals, regardless of the team they call for, as it is their job (00:48:56).
• Methods for Listening to Games Ben Shulman stated that they primarily listen to games via the Sportsnet app when available, as it is their general sports app (00:51:24). Otherwise, they use the MLB app, TuneIn, or Sirius XM, especially in the car, noting that the streaming rights make it much easier to access the audio broadcast without terrestrial radio (00:52:14) (01:05:23).
• Following Other Sports in the Off-Season Ben Shulman considers themself a casual fan of other sports like the NHL and NBA, noting that while they used to be more locked in, their professional focus on the Blue Jays means they have less bandwidth for casual viewing of other sports during the off-season (00:53:58). They acknowledged that it is challenging to keep up with everything, which is why they prioritize watching every Jays game and then stick with what is enjoyable and easy to follow (00:56:35).
• Finding Ben Shulman’s Broadcast Information Ben Shulman directed listeners to their X account, @Benshulman7, as the best place to find highlights or links to listen to their broadcasts, especially since the streaming rights make the audio accessible with just an internet connection (01:04:24).

Suggested next steps

• Aliasgar Moosa will check out whether the Sportsnet app prompts users to sign up for plus when they try to use the app for synchronized preferences.