The Toronto Blue Jays announced their dedication to earning a World Series championship well before their playoff surge began this season.
As the team struggled in the standings to start the year, the Blue Jays locked franchise slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. into a $500 million extension. That commitment seemed to spur the team at large, and it went on to win the American League East division and earn a World Series berth.
Now, no matter how their ongoing battle with the Los Angeles Dodgers turns out, the Blue Jays seem ready to commit to another major contract as they look to build a perennial contender around Guerrero. And that could mean bringing in the best player on the market this winter.
“The Blue Jays are another team that could play for No. 1 free agent Kyle Tucker,” according to the New York Post’s Major League Baseball insider Jon Heyman. “They played for the biggest free agents — Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto — and Jays sources say they still would have signed Vlad Guerrero Jr. even if they’d gotten Ohtani or Soto.”
The Blue Jays were final contenders for Ohtani, who instead signed a $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and for Soto, who instead signed a $765 million deal with the New York Mets. So, finding room for the roughly $400 million that’s projected in Tucker’s next contract shouldn’t be much of a problem if the Blue Jays feel he’s worth it.
The Blue Jays could also see some significant payroll come off the books this winter. Stars like Bo Bichette, Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt are all headed toward free agency.
Bringing Tucker in to fortify the outfield and hit alongside Guerrero could go a long way in sending the Blue Jays back to the World Series next year, though the team is still tied up in this year’s quest.
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