Blue Jays battling both New York teams for free agents?

While there may not be that many teams ready to spend this offseason, the Blue Jays will have to contend with a pair of big spenders out of New York for the top-tier free agents.

Despite the fact that it sounds like the Blue Jays have been aggressive so far this offseason, we’re still waiting for the first big chess move. They already re-signed Robbie Ray shortly after free agency, and there’s been a steady stream of rumours linking them to most of the top free agents available this winter.

The Blue Jays are in an enviable spot this winter, as it sounds like they’re one of the few teams ready to spend significant money to improve their roster. That limited market could certainly work in their favour, however, it appears they’ll have at least a couple of heavy hitters to contend with, and their two biggest competitors likely come from the same city.

With new ownership in place, the New York Mets have been one of the hottest topics of the offseason thus far, and it sounds like they’re ready to make an impact acquisition or two. It should also come as no surprise that the Yankees are shopping in the expensive aisle as well. Having competition for the top free agents is nothing new, but in this case the Blue Jays are aware that there could be a direct correlation between what the Yankees and Mets do, and what opportunities could be available for Ross Atkins and his staff.

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For example, Monday brought more reports that the Blue Jays are heavily interested DJ LeMahieu, with Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi telling Tim & Sid that he’s been told the Jays view him as the “perfect fit”. That’s all well and good, but if the Yankees decide to match any offer that LeMahieu’s camp can drum up, he’s not going anywhere.

As for the Mets, they’re one of the other teams that are reportedly showing serious interest in George Springer, who the Blue Jays have also been pursuing. If the Mets are serious about making Springer the impact addition they’re seeking, he could be very expensive to bid on, or even priced out of their market altogether. They should have the resources to make a competitive offer, but Atkins and Mark Shapiro have often talked about setting a limit to what they’re comfortable with in the past, and I’m guessing that still applies now to some degree.

The same could apply to J.T. Realmuto, who the Mets have expressed interest in as well, and would fit well on their roster. I actually fully expect that they’ll be bidding on the two-way talent, and the Yankees could jump in as well. With Gary Sanchez frequently listed as a possible non-tender candidate, it’s not out of the question that the Yankees swoop in with a big offer to fill a hole on their roster. If they miss out on LeMahieu in particular, I’d expect them to make a big push for Realmuto.

The timing of how the dominoes fall could be very interesting, and the Blue Jays may have to wait it out a bit whether they like it or not. They can always hand out an offer that can’t be refused, but that’s not their typical approach. Instead, if they’re serious about signing Springer, Realmuto, LeMahieu or potentially even a few others, they might have to wait on, and fight it out with the Mets and Yankees. Something tells me those three players and those three teams will end up linked when it’s all said and done.