This coming offseason, the most prized free agent on the market will be Juan Soto. Many teams will be interested in signing one of baseball’s most electric players. While the Yankees and Mets will certainly be in the mix, the Toronto Blue Jays are also rumored to be in the hunt for Soto. However, Toronto has been rumored to be in the mix for other big free agents before and nothing came out of it. I believe the Blue Jays have no chance at signing Juan Soto.
Juan Soto Had A Career Year
Embed from Getty ImagesIn his walk year, Juan Soto had a fantastic season for the New York Yankees. He set new career highs in home runs, RBI, slugging, hits, and runs. The 25-year-old was an all-star for the fourth time in his career. Sot was also recently named a finalist for a Gold Glove award for the first time in his career as well. His effort helped the Yankees win the AL East and most recently helped them advance to the ALCS. Given the year Soto had in 2024, a “pot of gold” is waiting for him in free agency.
The Blue Jays Won’t Be In The Mix
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen the offseason begins, the competition to sign the star-free agent will be fierce. Teams like the Yankees and Mets will be in the mix to sign Soto. Recently, a mystery team was named as a possible destination for the 25-year-old star. The team that was revealed as a dark horse to land Juan Soto was the Toronto Blue Jays. While there will probably be considerable hype, Blue Jays fans ought to not get their hopes too high.
Toronto Has Been Rumored Before But Never Actually Signs A Star
Last offseason, Toronto was rumored to be in the mix for many big-name free agents. Cody Bellinger, Shohei Ohtani, Matt Chapman, and others. However, they came away with none of them. Instead, the Jays ended up signing Kevin Kiermaier, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Justin Turner, and Yariel Rodriguez. Kiermaier would be placed on waivers, Rodriguez struggled, and Turner and Kiner-Falefa would be traded at the deadline. Some even argued that the team should’ve traded Vlad Jr. and Bo Bichette as well.
The Blue Jays Are Closer To Rebuilding Then Contending
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Blue Jays finished this season in last place and completely missed the postseason. Toronto has essentially missed its contention window and currently thinks they’re better than they are. During that window, they never won any of the postseason series they were in. Over the years, they’ve lost key players like Whit Merrifield, Teoscar Hernandez, Marcus Semien, Ross Stripling, and others. At this year’s trade deadline, they dealt away Yimi Garcia, Danny Jansen, Yusei Kikuchi, Nate Pearson, and Trevor Richards. A lot of the players Toronto lost can’t just be replaced overnight.
Making matters worse, the Blue Jays farm system is currently ranked 24th in baseball. Toronto has no prospects ranked inside the top 100. It remains to be seen just how impactful the prospects they acquired at the trade deadline will be. With almost nothing impactful coming up in Toronto’s minor league system, the team needs to build it back up. This means that it’s unlikely the Blue Jays will be playing baseball in October. Soto will know that he’d be spending most of the rest of his career playing for a rebuilding team. There’s nothing worse than making a lot of money and playing for a non-contender, just ask Mike Trout.
The Blue Jays Situation Isn’t That Much Different To San Diego’s
Embed from Getty ImagesThe current regime in Toronto is in trouble. GM Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider are both on the hot seat after this season’s disaster. The club could be facing an upheaval if the team doesn’t have a better season in 2025. Before being traded to the Yankees, Soto was a part of a dysfunctional San Diego Padres team. Like The Blue Jays, San Diego had a disappointing 2023 season despite having high expectations. The 25-year-old all-star would experience a worse situation if he came to Toronto.
An Unattractive Lineup
Embed from Getty ImagesOutside of Vlad Jr., the Toronto Blue Jays don’t have a whole lot going for them. George Springer is being paid like a star but isn’t one, Bo Bichette is coming off a career-worst season, Daulton Varsho has been a bust, Alejandro Kirk continues to look like a one-year wonder, and Davis Schneider and Ernie Clement are both coming off rough seasons. Juan Soto would mostly have to carry this team offensively.
Don’t Get Too Delusional Blue Jays Fans
Blue Jays fans shouldn’t get their hopes up because Juan Soto isn’t coming north of the border. Toronto fans ought to get this fantasy out of their heads quickly before they’re disappointed. He still can make a lot of money and compete for a championship somewhere else. Given how their current regime is on the hot seat, a mostly unattractive lineup, and a team closer to rebuilding than contending, there are better places for Soto to go. The idea of Juan Soto coming to the Blue Jays is merely just a rumor started by some writer in Canada. All that will be gained from this is false hope. The closest the Blue Jays will get to Juan Soto is when he hits a home run against them at Rogers Centre.
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