Blue Jays insider throws predictable cold water on Alex Bregman rumors

Everyone knows that the Toronto Blue Jays are desperately trying to make a splash this offseason. With multiple top free agents choosing to go elsewhere, things got so bad last week that the Blue Jays signed Jeff Hoffman, despite both the Braves and Orioles passing on him after failed physicals. Even if Toronto believes wholeheartedly that Hoffman will be just fine, it's clear this is an organization that needs a impact player this offseason and badly.

Among the free agents the Blue Jays have been most connected to this offseason is Alex Bregman. The fit obviously makes sense on Toronto's side, as they need another impact bat, and slotting him in at third would be pretty seamless. For Bregman, the Blue Jays are exactly the type of deep-pocketed club that he seems to want to find. Easy deal, right?

Well, it is the middle of January, and while Bregman has yet to sign anywhere, there has been somehow less noise around a potential pairing between the two sides than expected.

Blue Jays insider Ben Nicholson-Smith recently made a podcast appearance and talked about the odds of a potential Bregman-Blue Jays agreement, and his explanation was pretty illuminating.

Blue Jays insider seems to think that signing Alex Bregman isn't that likely (at least for now)

It is easy to get caught up in the hype of a well-known name like Bregman. Toronto needs a bat and has money burning a hole in their pocket. Bregman wants to get paid and is an established star. For fans, that is all that matters.

However, Nicholson-Smith made some pretty good points regarding why a deal hasn't happened yet and what a potential agreement with Toronto and Bregman is likely to look like. In the above clip, he starts by saying that everything he has heard is that the Tigers are the highest bidder for Bregman right now, and there is a question lingering as to whether or not Bregman wants to play there. However, that same question seems to also be applicable to Bregman's interest in playing for the Blue Jays which is an obvious hurdle.

In Nicholson-Smith's mind, neither side is enamored with one another. Bregman probably has situations he would prefer to join for 2025 and beyond, and Toronto probably has different players that they would prioritize paying over Bregman. Neither side is perfect, after all, and both probably had very different visions for how they wanted this offseason to go.

The final point Nicholson-Smith makes is a good one. The most likely scenario at the moment, to him, feels like the Blue Jays will hang around Bregman's market and if he becomes open to a short-term deal with opt-outs, they would jump at the opportunity. If Detroit or another team is willing to do more than that, they can have him. While Bregman would represent an upgrade for the Blue Jays no doubt, it is at least heartening that they aren't looking to let desperation force them into making a bad deal.

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