MLB insider pours freezing cold water on Juan Soto-Blue Jays pairing

By now, we're all well aware that the Toronto Blue Jays have their sights set on most of the best-available free agents this winter. The team could use help on offense as well as in both the starting rotation and bullpen, so it's understandable why a wide net is being cast.

One of those targets has been Juan Soto, who most Blue Jays fans have already convinced themselves their club won't sign. While it's entirely possible Toronto will have the financial ability to lure him in, it's ... basically every other thing about the Blue Jays that could turn Soto away from signing north of the border.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal made this exact argument in a recent piece, saying that the Blue Jays may not come away with Soto because he's not looking to sign with a club headed for a rebuild. It's hard to poke holes in this argument, as the Jays don't have either of their superstars - Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette - locked up on long-term contracts and they're fresh off of a season in which they finished last in the AL East.

MLB insider shuts Juan Soto's fit on the Blue Jays down

During the 2024 season, the Blue Jays finished 74-88, 20 games out of first place and six behind the fourth-place Tampa Bay Rays. With Ryan Yarbrough and Jordan Romano departing an already-depleted bullpen, there's an even bigger hole there than there was at season's end.

Then there's the offense. As of right at this moment, the Blue Jays would be forced to cross their fingers that Bichette bounces back; ditto for the aging George Springer who seriously showed that age this past season. Daulton Varsho would need to pick his offensive production up while Ernie Clement, Spencer Horwitz and Alejandro Kirk would all need to hope and pray that they can replicate their 2024 showing for another year.

That's a lot of "what ifs", and that's precisely what Rosenthal is getting at. How can the Blue Jays expect to land Soto if they're heading straight for a rebuild and annual last-place finishes? Looking around the division, the Yankees and Orioles aren't going anywhere anytime soon, while the Rays are always dangerous and the Red Sox are certainly not out of the hunt either.

This leaves the Blue Jays essentially in desperation mode. The absolute need to land Soto is apparent, but they're going to have to flex some of that financial muscle in other spots too, perhaps in the form of a Guerrero extension? Rosenthal points to the deadly combo of Soto-Aaron Judge in New York as something the Jays could replicate with Soto and Guerrero, but they're going to need to pony up and sign both first.

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