Rival teams think Blue Jays will have highest bid for Soto: report
Following a Toronto Blue Jays offseason can feel a bit like studying for an exam: you’re reading the same things over and over, and just hopeful that it’ll be over at some point.
For this year’s offseason, headlines and articles have been dominated by one key player: free agent outfielder Juan Soto, who wrapped up an electric first season with the New York Yankees, that included 41 home runs.
The Yankees and crosstown rivals in the New York Mets are widely perceived to be the front runners in the Soto sweepstakes, but the Rogers-owned Blue Jays sound like they remain a dark horse in luring him north of the border.
With Soto expected to sign what will be one of the biggest MLB contracts ever, the decision won’t be taken lightly from a business perspective to whoever ends up paying it.
According to SNY’s Andy Martino, the Jays might actually be the team with the deepest hypothetical pockets, as viewed by other teams in the bidding process.
“It’s no secret that the Yanks and Mets are ‘all in’ on Soto, as one league source reiterates, and that there is a widespread belief among bidders that Toronto will come in with the highest offer,” Martino wrote in an article Monday. “There is also widespread skepticism that Soto would go to the Blue Jays — but a source pushed back on that, saying that if a team is involved in the final bidding, Soto is willing to play there.”
The Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Tampa Bay Rays have all also been frequently mentioned as possible Soto suitors.
Toronto is coming off a disappointing season where they finished with just 74 wins, last place in the American League East and 20 games back of the division-winning Yankees. While Soto alone might not be enough to turn Toronto’s fortunes around, he’d certainly play a big part in returning the franchise to World Series contention.
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