The Blue Jays have seemingly been in on every major free agent so far this off season. Players signed? Zero. And so here we were again, this time it was Corbin Burnes who ended up a Diamondback.
The Giants and Blue Jays offered Corbin Burnes more money but the taxes in Arizona were the difference, per @BNightengale pic.twitter.com/jzvgB8EJo7
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) December 28, 2024
So not only didn’t Burnes take the Jays cash, he took less to sign on with Arizona. It’s been a painful occurance that has been repeated over and over. Teoscar Hernandez was on their radar. He after all initially made his name in Toronto.
At the MLB Winter Meetings, GM Ross Atkins confirmed the Blue Jays are interested in bringing Teoscar Hernandez back to Toronto. 👀
Teo is currently a free agent following the end of his deal with the Dodgers. pic.twitter.com/8VnUnxCzr4
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 10, 2024
It’s becoming a never ending list. Former Yankee Gleyber Torres signed this week with Detroit. Toronto eventually found their second baseman in Andrés Giménez after a trade with Cleveland, but before that they were reportedly interested in Torres.
Of course the Jays were knee deep in hopes of landing the jewel of this year’s free agent class in Juan Soto. The former National, Padre and Yankee took the Mets money.
The Ohtani fiasco
A situation similar to last year when the Jays were after Shohei Ohtani. It was not as painful however with Soto as last year when Blue Jay fans were duped into thinking Ohtani had agreed to a contract and was flying in to Toronto:
“I thought for sure it was a done deal.”
New column:
The flight! The sushi dinner! Ohtani the wedding crasher!
I asked the Blue Jays what they remember about The Day They *Signed Ohtani …
(*except no they didn’t)
It was as nuts as you’d expect
https://t.co/yRrafxIbVF— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) February 27, 2024
There’s still hope of course. Anthony Santander is still out there, coming off a powerful forty-four homer season. Guess what? The Blue Jays are rumoured to be interested.
There are free agent relief pitchers that can help the Blue Jays bullpen which was awful last season. Former Jays closer Jordan Romano is not one of them as they non tendered the Markham Ontario native. The Phillies gladly brought him aboard.
You can’t lose Vlad
The biggest fan worry now about a player not taking the Jays money is Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The team’s last offer for the superstar was in the neighborhood of $340 million. Junior?
“Not even close to what we are looking for,”
And that was after he turned his nose up at $150 million after his 2021 season when he placed second in MVP voting and like this season won a silver slugger award. He also reportedly stated that he’ll cut off negotiations on opening day. The clock is ticking…
88 days until Opening Day
— Baseball Reference (@baseball_ref) December 29, 2024
