The Toronto Blue Jays had a swing and a miss last off-season. They were one of the teams that was the most aggressive in their pursuit of free agent Shohei Ohtani, but wound up on the outside looking in as the superstar signed with the Dodgers instead. Now, they’re hot on the pursuit of Juan Soto, this year’s prized winter signing, and will likely have to offer more than any other team to lure him north of the border.
Reports have the Blue Jays ready to make an offer in the ballpark of $750 million to pry away one of the Yankees’ best hitters from New York. Currently, the Blue Jays owned +700 odds to land Soto in free agency, making them among the top finalists as his decision looms in the background.
Blue Jays Are One Of The Finalists In The Juan Soto Sweepstakes
Soto has plenty of options and suitors. The four-time All-Star and World Series Champion has been one of the best players in the major leagues since coming in in 2018, and finished third in AL MVP voting in 2024 as a member of the Yankees. He is in line to sign perhaps the biggest contract in MLB history in the coming weeks, and teams like the Mets, Red Sox, and of course the Yankees have been rumored to have interest.
“I’ve heard from many people who think Toronto will be the highest bidder [for Juan Soto].”
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Many believe that the Blue Jays are going to be willing to match any offer. It is well known that Toronto is not as attractive as a baseball destination as some of the other options are, and the Jays know that they’ll have to have the highest bid (probably by a wide margin) to even be considered. That in itself will be a tough task, as beat reporters believe that the Mets and Steve Cohen are willing to outbid anyone for the services of Juan Soto.
The uncertain future of the star that already plays in Toronto could be a factor as well. Soto is looking to sign a long-term contract that could take him into the twilight of his career, and even the immediate future of the Blue Jays is in question. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has spent the first six years of his career in Toronto, but is scheduled to hit free agency just one year from now. The uncertainty in roster construction would only add to any hesitancy from Soto to sign there.
Last year’s Blue Jays team finished with a 74-88 record, missing the playoffs after qualifying in 3 of the previous 4 years.