The Toronto Blue Jays have been no strangers to aggressive offseasons over the last few years. Toronto has consistently pursued top free agents, including Shohei Ohtani and even being mentioned in the Juan Soto sweepstakes, but ultimately missed out. Last year, the Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants were reported as the two most aggressive teams in the Corbin Burnes sweepstakes as well, though Burnes ended up signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
All in all, the Blue Jays have tried each offseason to bring big-name players to town but haven’t necessarily been able to get those deals done. However, after making it to Game 7 of the World Series, the perception of the team seems to have shifted.
Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith reported that there could be a more “receptive audience” for Toronto in free agency this year, citing an anonymous “prominent” agent.
“Armed with the cachet of an inspired World Series run that captivated both fans and the wider industry’s interest, the Toronto Blue Jays jumped into the off-season with what some agents called a motivated posture across various player markets,” Davidi and Nicholson-Smith wrote.
“One prominent agent believes the American League champions will find a more receptive audience for their pitches this winter, too, having shown the baseball world how success looks north of the border.
“Baseball tends to have ‘a pack mentality,’ said the agent, and between seeing players succeed with the Blue Jays, the enthusiasm from fans Canada-wide and positive reviews of the team’s facilities, ‘it should be easier for them to get players’ this off-season.”
A second agent described the Blue Jays as “hungry” and “acting like the big boys,” while both representatives said they are involved in discussions around top-end starting pitchers, back-end relievers, position players, and talent from Asia.
Of course, aggressiveness doesn’t always lead to deals, as the Blue Jays have seen in the past. But this new attitude is a positive sign for what could be a big offseason in Toronto.
The Blue Jays have demonstrated over the last few years that they are willing to offer large contracts. Maybe this year, they will finally ink one of those external stars to a deal.
https://www.newsweek.com/latest-buzz-suggests-blue-jays-finally-boast-strong-free-agency-pitch-11035513
