Latest report on Blue Jays' pursuit of Max Fried will leave fans ripping their hair out

Toronto Blue Jays fans understand the multitude of issues with the organization. There are no quick fixes to this mess anytime soon. The collective hair of Blue Jays fans has turned gray while watching this team fail to meet expectations. When digesting the latest nugget from free agency, fans will start tearing out whatever hair they still possess.

The Blue Jays have been stargazing for a long time. The problem with the Shohei Ohtani pursuit last winter wasn't that Toronto made an earnest effort to chase the Japanese unicorn. The problem was that they pivoted afterward toward multiple, uninspiring options. In all fairness, last winter's market was a little barren in terms of premium talent. That is no longer an excuse this winter and unfortunately there are already signs that Toronto is operating without a sturdy "plan B".

The Blue Jays have been pecking away at all levels of talent and starting pitcher Max Fried was unquestionably one of the players they were "all-in" on. So, did they make a monetary offer? Not so fast says a noted baseball writer, who provides juicy context surrounding the pursuit of a southpaw that secured a record commitment.

"Despite stated interest, the Blue Jays never made an offer," wrote New York Post baseball columnist Joel Sherman.

Sherman noted that Fried actually received strong interest from the Texas Rangers, a club facing numerous financial questions in light of concerns about their TV broadcast contract. In a state with no income tax, Texas would have provided plenty of bang for Fried's buck. The Yankees recognized that and bowled over Fried's camp. Toronto didn't even make an offer.

For a number of reasons, Toronto must bid more to convince players to sign in Canada. The George Springer contract is a good example of that phenomenon. The need to pay a little more is acute when your team isn't very good. Call it whatever you want, but a struggling team must usually pay extra to bring it over the finish line. It seems clear that the Fried sweepstakes required that level of aggressiveness.

This is interesting in light of the circumstances surrounding the Soto bidding. Rumor has it that ownership was willing to go to unusual heights to land the Dominican superstar, but was the front office?

"...while the Blue Jays are believed to have had the authorization of ownership to go further for Soto, it appears that the front office held steady to their valuations as the final-day push by both the Mets and Yankees eliminated the other contenders," wrote Sportsnet's Shi Davidi in assessing Toronto's place in the sweepstakes.

Relying on free agency to fill roster holes is always a risky proposition. Free agency features players that played elsewhere and are now being asked to mold to your culture. Plus, no player on the market is ever perfect. The problem is that if you can convince yourself not to sign someone of Max Fried's caliber, then who could you convince yourself to sign?

The Blue Jays need to stop talking themselves out of free agents and instead accept their spot in the market. Plenty of additions are needed even with Andres Gimenez and Nick Sandlin on the board. The bullpen got a much-needed reinforcement in the form of an encore with Yimi Garcia. More will be needed and the club must be willing to get uncomfortable as they approach the rest of free agency.