The Toronto Blue Jays are still in the hunt for Juan Soto, ranking among the final four teams vying for his services. While this is an achievement Ross Atkins can be proud of, the Jays are currently trailing behind the Red Sox, Mets, and Yankees, who are seen as the frontrunners. One factor working against Toronto is that they are based in Canada, and it seems Soto may be using the Blue Jays as leverage to increase his asking price, much like Shohei Ohtani did last year.
According to Andy Martino, the Yankees and Mets are fully committed to landing Soto, and there’s a widespread belief that Toronto will offer the highest bid. However, this doesn’t guarantee Soto will end up in Toronto. There’s skepticism about whether he’d choose the Blue Jays, though a source close to the situation suggests that if Toronto is involved in the final bidding, Soto would be willing to play there. This suggests that Soto’s camp isn’t inflating the market with teams that aren’t seriously competing for him.
The Blue Jays are known for spending like a big-market team, as they have little choice being the only MLB team in Canada. While Toronto is a great city, it doesn’t carry the same allure as New York or Los Angeles, making it a harder sell for some players. Nevertheless, simply being mentioned in the Soto sweepstakes is beneficial for the Blue Jays, as it can enhance their reputation in the eyes of other free agents. Toronto is also targeting a top-tier starting pitcher, like Corbin Burnes or Max Fried, and has been linked to Alex Bregman.
While Soto is the standout prize of the offseason, the free-agent market offers other valuable options. Atkins must secure one of these stars and then shift focus to extending Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to ensure the Blue Jays remain competitive for years to come.
