Yasiel Puig Debut│A Historic First CBL Game│Toronto vs Kitchener Recap

The Canadian Baseball League made its professional debut at Christie Pits in Toronto on May 10th 2026.

The Maple Leafs took on the Kitchener Panthers in a game that had a wide variety of baseball fans tuning in.

The most popular player in the game was former MLB All-Star Yasiel Puig who was making his debut in the new league.

Game Notes

2B: Yosvani Penalver, Yosuke Fujie, Malik Williams, Yordan Manduley

HR: Trent Lawson, Yasiel Puig 2, Dennis Dei Baning

SB: Yosvani Penalver, Rafael Gross

CS: Yosvani Penalver, Kyle Poapst

SF: Matthew Fabian

GIDP: Yunior Ibarra, Malik Williams, Marcus Knecht

HBP: Petey Kiefer, Rafael Gross 2, Yunior Ibarra, Matthew Fabian, Marcus Knecht

WP: Wilgenis Alvarado

LOB: Kitchener Panthers 9, Toronto Maple Leafs 5

Transcript

Thomas West 0:00

Welcome back to the Sideline Podcast. Thomas West here. Today we're going to take you through what was a memorable and historic day in the Canadian Baseball League. And the first pitch in the new Pro League, the Canadian Baseball League, is a strike from Yadian Martinez to Yosvani Penelve. Yes, Yelpui. It is second at bat in the Canadian Baseball League has gone yards. Dennis Devanning gets into this one high and deep to left field, and it is gone! Dennis Devanning with a huge home run for the Maple Leafs. So if you're new to the Canadian Baseball League, this was a league that converted from a semi-pro league to a pro league this season. The Canadian Baseball League was formerly the Intercounty Baseball League, and as thousands and thousands of fans piled into the hillside at Christie Pitts, many of them were there just to see the opening of a new season, but there were a lot of new fans that came to the Pits because of a big new signing by the Toronto Maple Leafs. That would be former Major League Baseball star Yassiel Puig, who is set to make his debut in a public park in Toronto in front of many fans that came to watch some free baseball. What a fantastic opportunity for the fans around the neighborhood of Christy Pitts in Toronto. And let me tell you, expectations were high for everyone coming to watch Puig play, and he delivered. But before we get to that, let's get you set for this game. First, Dennis Bailey, who's the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, on their big news signing. So there have been very few GMs in the history of baseball that have had a chance to sign Yassiel Puig. What was that like for you when you had the opportunity to sign a player of his caliber?

SPEAKER_02 1:58

I had to try and keep it cool, I'll be honest. Um, you know, I'm a fan too, right? I love baseball, so obviously that's why I'm here. And you know, when you get a guy that, you know, did what he did in the big leagues, and you know, now you get to bring him to Christy Pitts, you know, and all these fans and looking around to this at this crowd, and they get to watch a former big league or former all-star, and they're not paying anything, which is kind of cool.

Thomas West 2:18

Yes, uh, a very cool phenomena for all the fans coming to watch Asiel Puig play baseball. But lots of existing fans that were already fans of the Intercounty Baseball League for many years, and this was the opening day of the Canadian Baseball League, which was very exciting for everyone at Christie Pitts. The Toronto Maple Leafs taking on the Kitchener Panthers. And this Toronto Maple Leafs team had had quite a bit of turnover, with the league converting from a semi-pro league to a pro league. It meant that there were roster rules and a lot of things that meant a ton of change throughout all nine teams in the Intercounty Baseball League and now Canadian Baseball League's rosters. But one player that stayed the same, who's been a stalwart in the Maple Leafs lineup, is Marcus Connect, former third-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays. But since 2018, he has been a big part of this Toronto Maple Leafs lineup. And many see him as one of the big leaders in the locker room this year for Toronto. I spoke to him before the game.

SPEAKER_01 4:01

Yeah, it's a good question, man. We got a lot of new guys, new faces, a couple old faces, and uh we got a good balanced crew and just make sure that everyone knows that they can do their job and not to be not to be too tight. They all got a job to do, they all can do it, and that's why they're here. So just give them that confidence, that boost, and uh that show a little enthusiasm and tell them to play their game.

SPEAKER_06 4:23

Is there is there some optimism that this team could could get something done this year?

SPEAKER_01 4:27

Oh definitely, yeah. A lot of optimism. It comes down to the lots to the pitchers here in this league, and then and then timely hitting and definitely uh situational hitting and and then the the brain, you know, the old brains of uh of baseball. I guess we got a couple of those on our team, which we do, you know, that's what helps us uh maybe win the whole thing. So, you know, I think we got what it takes, and we're gonna be ready to surprise surprise the league for sure.

Thomas West 4:51

Marcus Connect was batting second in the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup on opening day, right in front of Maple Leaf star Yassiel Puig. And the guy hitting right behind him, giving him some lineup protection, was Dennis Day Banning, who hit a home run in his first game last year on opening day, which also happened to be against the Kitchener Panthers and was looking to have an impact again here today.

SPEAKER_03 5:14

Yeah, I mean, uh, you know, last year, whatever happened, it is what it is. Like this year is it's a new season, new opportunity, and uh I think the biggest thing for me is just trying to stay consistent, like do whatever it takes to help my team win.

SPEAKER_06 5:26

Dennis, uh, you know I talked to you last year, and you know, being from the Toronto area, playing for Toronto was something that was really special, but now you're playing for Toronto and you're a pro baseball player playing for Toronto. Like, how does that sound to you?

SPEAKER_03 5:38

Oh man, I mean, I gotta get used to it for sure. I remember just uh talking about it with my mom, and she's just like, hey, you gotta be proud of yourself. Like, it's been a long journey, so just kind of embrace where I'm at right now and just keep going, man.

SPEAKER_06 5:51

I know you've got lots of new teammates. I know the boss right now it's about Yassi Alpweek. You know, I saw you chatting with him, just you know, kind of having him as a teammate and kind of someone of his caliber. Like, what is that like for for someone like you?

SPEAKER_03 6:02

Oh man, it's crazy because I I remember just playing MOB the show like 10 almost 10 years ago, 2015. He was like the cover of it now for teammates. But I mean, I mean, he's definitely someone you can learn a lot from, and I'm definitely gonna pick his brain a lot this year. And uh, whatever he uh shows me to help me play better and uh help us win, not just me for the other guys on the team, and couldn't be more grateful.

SPEAKER_06 6:26

So you got off to a hot start last year with that home run. I just watched you take your VP. I don't know if you saw, but like the first or second swing you took went over the fence. Yeah, yeah. You know, the the pits is playing small out there and left today, and you know, just how good are you feeling just to start this thing?

SPEAKER_03 6:41

You know what? I'm I'm not really trying to think about that. Everyone knows about the pits, and uh, but you know what? I just try to so the big big key thing for me this year. I've been working with Marcus Connect a lot. Just kind of just uh just stay loose in the box, just kind of let everything just flow and uh not try to be too big or be too tight and just kind of be out of flow state. So that's my goal this year, man.

SPEAKER_04 7:00

All right, Dennis.

SPEAKER_03 7:01

Thank you. You're welcome.

Thomas West 7:03

Well, the Canadian Baseball League got underway with a first pitch strike from Yadien Martinez, the former Kitchener Panther, who was starting on opening day for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was being opposed by Owen McNeil on the side of Kitchener. Let's take you to the second inning now, and a little bit of messy defense on the side of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Allowed the Kitchener Panthers to get the first run of the game, but some damage suppression by the Toronto Maple Leafs and Yadin Martinez as well. That bara fakes like he's gonna go. Now this ball hit on the ground. Ross has it, throws to first, and it's in the dirt, it gets away. Matt Brandt backing up now. It kicks off the facing of the dugout to Jordan Mandalay. First and third for the Kitchener Panthers, an error on the infield. That was gonna be a close play at first base, and Zach, it looked like Spencer Ross may have just rushed the throw.

SPEAKER_05 7:52

Yeah, hustling out of the box there was Fuji. And then when you look at Ross, he picked up the ball, he looked looked up, and you see he's almost at the base, so you rush everything. At a play like that, you know, it might just be better just to accept the infield single like that with how much hustle he has instead of having the runner scoring position right now.

Thomas West 8:10

Williams with tremendous power, the first baseman today. And now he hits this one on the ground. Mandalay has it, flips a second for one, Spencer Ross on the first double play. The Kitchener Panthers will cash in the first run of the ball game, but the Maple Leafs get two big outs. So the Maple Leafs did allow one run in the top of the second inning, but the bottom of the order came through for the Maple Leafs in the bottom half. And when you're at the bottom of the Maple Leafs order and you see Yassiel Puig looming on the dugout, the goal is obviously to get on base. They did that and set the table for Puig in the second. Now it's Spencer Ross, who's been playing for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. Won a championship. It was UFT's third consecutive championship. All of them had Spencer Ross on, and he's been a huge part of that team. He's been a huge part of the Maple Leafs as well, and he dishes one into the outfield for a base hit. Spencer Ross is aboard. He was a mainstay in the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup last season, and he's got the first hit for Toronto. They were looking at some options, and Matt Brandt was the guy they ended up going with, and he hits one in the air. This one's hooking towards the line, and it's down a fair ball. Matt Brandt with a base hit, and the speedy Spencer Ross is gonna head to third base. Great start for Brandt and the Toronto Maple Leafs. And they've got runners on the corners with one out here in the second. Full count. And this one's lined into the outfield and caught. Spencer Ross tagging. Here's the throw to the plate. It's on the money, but late, and it kicks away. The Maple Leafs tie the ball game. Matt Brandt will scamper into this into second base, and we're tied at Christy Pitts here in the second.

SPEAKER_05 10:02

Good piece of hitting right there by Fabian. All you gotta do is just get the ball in the air and get it to the outfield. It's exactly what he does. He drives in that tying run.

Thomas West 10:10

Owen McNeil looking for the strikeout of the Maple Leaf Star. The 2-2. This one's hit in the air towards left field. It's got some carry. Back to the wall. And it is good. Yes, yellow poig. It is second at bat in the Canadian Baseball League has gone yard. And Christy Pitts was not able to contain this one.

SPEAKER_05 10:41

Crowd is absolutely loving it. And look at again. It's just such an easy swing that he has. He was underneath it. The wind, we talked about it, blowing right to left. That ball got up in the jet stream, and it just kept carrying Puig. He puts the leaves on top.

Thomas West 10:58

You know what? Yassiel Puig popped that one up. He completely missed it. But he is just so strong, and this park is not very far out to left field that he was able to push that ball over the wall. Now, I was talking to my broadcast partner, Zach Benoit, about this, and there's gotta be some pressure on Yassiel Puig, right? I mean, everyone expects him to hit a home run every time he comes to the plate. And Puig was able to kind of take those expectations, turn them into motivation, and muscle that ball over the fence. So just to give you a bit of a visual on that home run, that ball was skied straight in the air. And I will admit, the wind was blowing pretty hard out to left field where that ball left off the bat of Yassi Alpuig. But even though that ball was hit straight up, and maybe if the wind was blowing a different direction, it wouldn't have gone out. Everyone at Christie Pitts saw the pure power of Yassi Alpuig because there was nobody else who would hit a ball with that kind of launch angle that would actually find its way over the fence. Yassiel Puig may be the only player in the league that's able to hit a home run exactly like that. And boy, what a big swing it was, giving the Toronto Maple Leafs a 4-1 lead and all the momentum in this game. But the Kitchener Panthers were undeterred. Yosuke Fuji and Trent Lawson both had big swings in the fourth and fifth inning to bring it back within one. Here's the 1-1. Hit in the air. Wind has a hold of it. Marcus Connect back towards the wall off the top of the fence. Fuji is gonna cruise into second base with an RBI double, and it's four to two.

SPEAKER_05 12:45

You mentioned it, the wind had it, and it just kept on carrying. Hits right off that banner on the left field, and it's just that ball. You can kind of see the tail that it had. It was tailing away from Connect. He was running straight back. He looked up again, and it was tailing towards his left. So he had to adjust his route.

Thomas West 13:06

This one's hit in the air, up into the jet stream. Marcus Connect going back, and it is gone. Trent Lawson with a solo home run to lead off the fifth inning, and Kitchener's within one.

SPEAKER_05 13:20

That was a booming shot off the bat of Lawson. I mean, you know, to the deepest part of the park here, which is fairly not that deep, but he got every stitch of that hitting what it looked like to be the skate park right behind that left center field wall.

Thomas West 13:36

What an answer by the Kitchener Panthers. Game now 4-3 in the fifth. Well, Yassi L. Puig in his next at bat after hitting the three-run home run, the first in CBL history, had an answer. Here's the 2-1 to Puig. And he hits one in the air, and this time there's no doubt about it! Second home run of the game for Yassi L Puig, who's already raining havoc on the Canadian Baseball League. Three plate appearances, two home runs.

SPEAKER_05 14:16

Just ridiculous stuff out of number 66. I mean, again, it's another easy swing, and this time it's a lefty he's facing. That looked like an off-speed that just kind of kept tailing over the plate. He saw it in his wheelhouse, and he just turned and burned it. Wow. Did you think that this is how this was gonna start? I was not expecting two home runs and back-to-back plate appearances.

Thomas West 14:44

What a ridiculous way for Yassiel Puig to start his Canadian Baseball League career. And I will say, Puig's final line after this game was all said and done, two for two, two home runs, two walks, four RBIs. Let's take you to the top of the seventh inning now. A 6-3 lead for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Kitchener got some traffic on the base pass. Threw six balls in a row, now comes back to make it 2-2. And this one lined up the middle for a base hit. And Malik Williams gets the stop sign. Mandalay cuts it off. Base is loaded for Kitchener here. This is the moment in the ballgame where they need to cash in. One out in the inning, and Alvarado just trying to get through it. We saw Ryan Campuano warming up in the bullpen for the Maple Leafs. And I almost wonder if they consider going to him pretty soon. I think yeah, he's just made the call down to the bullpen. So we'll take a quick break. New pitcher coming in for the Maple Leafs when we come back. Big breath, and now the pitch upstairs, ball four, and the Leafs will walk in back to back runs, and it's six to five. Here's the O-2 from Capuano. Swing and a miss, strike three. That's a big punch out from the new Maple Leafs pitcher. And there's two away. 3-1 pitch on a line to third, and it's caught. Maple Leafs will hang on to the lead. Nice grab by Matt Fabian at third base. Toronto leading 6-5 as we head to the bottom of the seventh. Panthers catcher Junior Ayabara hit that ball hard, but some quick hands from Maple Leafs' new acquisition at third base, Matt Fabian, was able to record the out. And that swing, had it not been caught by Fabian, really could have changed things in this game. That is, if it wasn't for Dennis DeBanning in the bottom half of the seventh. Here's the old one. Dennis DeBanning gets into this one high and deep to left field, and it is gone. Dennis DeBanning with a huge home run for the Maple Leaves. It's eight to five. And he's right on Yassi Alpuig's tail as he rounds the bases.

SPEAKER_05 17:16

Yeah, Dennis DeBannon, we've talked about how much pop that this young man has, and he just displayed it right there, lifting it absolutely over that left field wall.

Thomas West 17:26

And he is amped. Oh, he's firing up the crowd here at Christy Pitts. Listen, Dennis DeBannon came in. He was the first batter to take BP here today. First pitch he saw, hit it over the wall in left field. Like, not very often do you see a batter on their very first swing of the day hit one over the fence. And, you know, just watching him and BP, he had a crazy round, hit like 10 of them out of the ballpark. He has easy power. He doesn't need to swing as hard as he can. The ball will go here at Christie Pitts, and he was able to muscle that one over the wall and left. An 8-5 lead for the Toronto Maple Leafs heading to the top of the eighth inning. But this pesky Kitchener Panthers team would just not go away on the first game of the CBL. This ball lined to center field, and it's over the head of Dennis Day Banning. This will score one run. Day Banning picks it up near the warning track. One comes in to score. It's an RBI double for Yosvani Penalve. And it's an 8-6 ball game with two in scoring position. And Rob Butler is coming out to the mound. So with two outs in the eighth inning and the tying run on second base, the Toronto Maple Leafs turn to their two-way player, Kyle Pops, to come in and try and get a four-out save. How about that? And this would end up being a pretty crazy day for Kyle Pops. Started out the game with two singles. Great start to his Canadian Baseball League debut at the plate. And now his two-way status was being tested as he came in to try and pick up the save for the Maple Leafs. First priority, get the out in the eighth inning. Swing and a miss, strike three. Matt Brandt will have to complete the throwdown to first base. He does. And Kyle Poffs comes and gets a huge punch out and his first action on the mound as a Toronto Maple Leaf. Another 0-2. Ibarra hits one on the ground. Ross has it. Flips to Mandalay. On to first, double play. In his Maple Leafs debut. The 0-2 pitch. Check swing. Did he go? Yes. Matt Franz got to find the ball. Now throws it down to first base, and that'll do it. A save for Kyle Pops. The Maple Leafs win 8-6 on the first day of the Canadian Baseball League. And that was it. The first game in Canadian Baseball League history in the books. Kyle Pops was fantastic in his 4-0 save. The Maple Leafs lineup came up with 8 runs on 10 hits, and the two big swings that pretty much won the game for the Maple Leafs came off the bat of Yassiel Puig. I had a chance to catch up with both Yassiel Puig and Kyle Pops after the game.

SPEAKER_00 20:58

And now Canada giving the opportunity to play, and I'm so excited to play here. And I go in and I try to do the best every day when we have a game to win the most game that we can and bring the team to the playoff. And later when we in the playoffs, do everything together again to win the championship. I love to come to countries and won the championship. That's my goal in this team right now. Uh not yet. Everybody's doing amazing game today. And days to days I'm gonna be talking to the guys and helping the guys the more I can. Everybody who teammates drew me so good and I'm so excited and so thankful for for the team and for all players give me the welcome, amazing welcome uh here in Toronto.

SPEAKER_06 22:03

Alright, joined now by Kyle Pops. Kyle, uh, you know, I just to be here with the Toronto Maple Leafs, get a save in your first game as a pitcher on the mound. Can you kind of just walk me through that feeling that you had uh when you got that final out?

SPEAKER_08 22:15

Uh I mean euphoric man. Like it's uh it's a beautiful day for baseball. Uh you know, rain held off and tons of fans out. So uh just excited to help my team win um and to get the ball in a spot like that. I mean, that's what you dream of, right? Yeah, feel like a kid playing in this park again, so great day.

SPEAKER_06 22:31

Uh there were a lot of fans out to watch you play. I mean, you had the two home runs by Yassiel Puig. You had DeBanning get one as well. Like what how just kind of exciting was this for you just with the big name players and uh just being here on the first day?

SPEAKER_08 22:45

I mean, yeah, like when I said, you know, feeling like a kid playing ball, watch it, you know, Yassiel Puig, and it's you know not on TV, it's not on a video game, it's you know, you're on deck next. Uh, you know, Dennis almost took my arm off. I think he was pretty psyched after he came home on uh that second one, which was in my head a bit as I had to pitch, but uh no man, it's it's exciting.

SPEAKER_06 23:04

Uh just to get a win uh an opening day, like you never know what the team's gonna be like until you actually get to the field and play. Like, you know, how exciting is this for you? And does this team feel like you know it could kind of be something after today?

SPEAKER_08 23:17

Um yeah, I mean, I've I think we got a ton of great guys, I think we got good depth. Um I feel blessed to be here, um, you know, playing playing in Toronto. Um, yeah, it's uh I think you know we got ranks pretty low on a couple of the preseason stuff, but you know, we can always use that as motivation, and uh you never really know, especially first year of the CBL. I think it's gonna shake a lot of things up.

SPEAKER_06 23:37

So you're a two-way player. You started this game in the DH spot, and then you end up being on the mound. Like, you know, what's that like for you being a DH and then coming into the game to pitch? And is this something that that's kind of familiar to you?

SPEAKER_08 23:48

Um it's uh it's pretty new to me. I didn't hit in college. Um Coach Hubka at PBA kind of tried to convince me, and I told him I was too slow. Uh that was on display today as I got hosed twice on the bags. But uh no, I I went to Austria and played uh with the Wiener Neustadt Diving Ducks and I got to hit a little bit there. And then my wife uh Janna, she's a hitting instructor, so she taught me how to hit before we went to Australia. And uh yeah, I had a lot of success over there, so I told him I just want a chance to hit here, and I think people at home still don't quite believe it. But uh yeah, it was a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_04 24:18

Uh you came out of the pen in a pretty big situation, uh close game. How do you kind of deal with the nerves in a situation like that?

SPEAKER_08 24:24

Uh breath work. Um and that's all day, that's at the plate, um, and that's you know, especially on a mound. Um uh I like to eat four seconds in, four second hold, and four second release. Um and if I'm there, I keep my heart rate down. I find that I uh you know have a lot more success and able to execute in those spots.

SPEAKER_04 24:42

Since you've started hitting recently, how has your conditioning process changed?

SPEAKER_08 24:45

Um it's honestly not a lot. I mean, baseball's very you know anaerobic, so you know I started running a little bit more in uh in Australia, but it's um it's more, I think, right back to that breath work part of it. Um yeah, taking care of my body a little more. I mean, I gotta get my knee patched up now, it's a whole new thing. Don't consider, you know, you hear a guy on the other team's throwing hard as a pitcher, it's pretty cool. You realize you gotta hit against that, you get a little nervous.

SPEAKER_04 25:09

Um coming off a win on opening day, what kind of things do you guys want to keep bringing into the rest of the season that you thought will working well today?

SPEAKER_08 25:15

I think just playing loose, um, having good energy, and uh, you know, keeping a good approach of the plate and trying to fill it up on the mound. Thank you so much. Oh, can I say uh, you know, happy Mother's Day to my mom Kim, uh my dad Bob watching, uh, thank you for everything growing up, and I wouldn't be here without you.

SPEAKER_04 25:31

All right, thanks, Kyle. Thank you so much.

Thomas West 25:33

All right, great to chat with both of them after the game. An opening day win for the Maple Leafs. And if you're interested in what's going on with this Maple Leafs team in the Canadian Baseball League all season long, you can stay right here on the Sideline Podcast. Will the Maple Leafs find themselves in a playoff position at the end of the year? Will anyone be able to get Yassiol tweak out? We'll have all that for you throughout the season here on the Sideline Podcast.