Blue Jays have the most complicated path to keep Juan Soto

The team is seen as one of the candidates seeking to acquire the services of today’s top free agent.

Toronto Blue Jays It has been, historically speaking, many things. The Canadian team has won World Serieshas featured high-caliber names, has been the cradle for young talent that has established itself in Major Leagueshas been exciting some seasons, disappointing in others, but in 2024, the Blue Jays They are a clearly failed project.

A team that trusted second generation talent and made a big bet by building around Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and at one point, also Cavan Biggiosurrounding them with talent that made the city of toronto dream and baseball fans became interested in what was happening in the “Great North.” However, after years of disappointment, of falling short of “trailers,” to use a term popularized by Guerrero Jr.the movie was disappointing.

But the disappointment of Blue Jays It has not only occurred on the playing field, but in its inability to attract the most important free agents in recent memory, the most palpable example being, Shohei Ohtani last year, who they couldn’t convince to leave California. This year, the Jays are trying to turn the page on recent disappointments by chasing Juan Sotothe most important free agent of the current period, but the reality is that the team has the most complicated path among all the reported suitors to take the player.

Starting with the commitment to invest a massive amount of money in a contract for more than a decade, the Blue Jays they have never proven to be that type of team in the past. In fact, the largest contract in the history of the franchise belongs to George Springer who received six years for 150 million dollars. With Sotothere is talk of a contract that would exceed 10 years and 500 million dollars.

The competitive factor also plays against the Blue Jays. New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles They are, at the moment, the best teams in the east of the American Leaguevery far from the other three sets. Toronto has just finished a season in which it was in last place and although as recently as 2022 they won 92 games, they have not shown anything that could indicate that they will have such a rebound in a much more competitive division.

Another reason that makes it difficult for Blue Jays A possible acquisition of Soto is the long-term commitment of his current stars. Guerrero Jr. He will be a free agent after 2025, Bichette After 2026 and at least for now, there is no indication of whether the team will be able to complete contract extensions with both players. The camp of Soto has been clear in pointing out that the outfielder wants to be on a team that competes consistently, so the absence of stars, added to the fact that they have the 24th (of 30) minor league system in MLBare not positive signs that they can commit to competing year after year for the duration of the Dominican’s contract.

This does not mean that it is the tragic end of the aspirations of the Blue Jays and that there is no possibility on the planet that Soto choose to play with them, but compared to squads like New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgersthere is no doubt that toronto looks like the least attractive of the interested parties. This leads to think that whatever the offer of toronto, It will have to represent an abysmal difference, at least in economic terms, to be taken seriously by the player’s representatives.