Blue Jays Rumor Roundup: 2 former MVPs, Japanese ace firmly on club's radar

The Toronto Blue Jays are still very much in "add mode", despite the fact that they have tried and failed to land some of the game's biggest stars in Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani.

With Soto heading to the division rival Yankees and Ohtani signing an absolutely ridiculous contract with the Dodgers, the Jays are left to pick from the best of the rest. There are certainly some impact players still available, but none that could come close to the production these two juggernauts have.

By now, Jays fans are undoubtedly tired of hearing about the fact that their team's pursuit of these players did not come to fruition. We're not here to dwell on that. The fact of the matter is that the Jays are a team that chases after the best talent out there every time they're available. Really, all teams should be doing the same. When a Soto or Ohtani is available for the taking, you'd be foolish not to at least kick the tires.

But that's behind us now. Instead, there are three of the top-remaining players this offseason, one on the trade market and two free agents, that the Jays are reportedly pursuing. There's a difference between players that would make nice fits on the roster and ones that the club are actively looking at. In this instance, the club is rumored to be actively pursuing these names.

Let's dive in to the rumor mill and share what we're hearing about the next group of targets on the Blue Jays' radar.

Christian Yelich

Previously, we had taken a look at Yelich as a player the Blue Jays would be smart to target. He's got a massive contract, but that could play in the Jays' favor. Since he is still owed so much money, the Milwaukee Brewers are likely going to have to either eat some of the money, or settle for less of a return in trade talks because of the monetary situation.

According to everyone's favorite MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Blue Jays are "kicking around Yelich" in internal trade discussions.

Yelich, 32, is under control through the end of the 2028 season. His contract also comes with a team option for the 2029 campaign. When he first signed this deal back in 2020, he was fresh off of an MVP Award and a second-place finish in the voting the next season.

Since then, his production had tapered off a bit but is now rising once again. Last season, he had 19 home runs with 76 driven in in 144 games. His 124 OPS+ was the highest he posted in a year since 2019 when he finished second in the MVP voting.

It's worth noting that the two-time batting champion has dealt with multiple back injuries in recent years, and those are known to be ones that nag you and have a high likelihood of not healing properly. If his offensive output from 2023 was any indication, he may be turning things around.

The Brewers are a club with multiple tradeable assets. After they non-tendered Brandon Woodruff and began dangling Corbin Burnes and Willy Adames in trade talks, their roster began to feel like an "everything must go" situation. Yelich and his contract is surely something the club would love to get out from under, even if he's beginning to turn things around.

With Nathan Lukes projected to be the Blue Jays' every day left fielder in 2024, the time is now for an upgrade. Sure, there are multiple free agent options out there, but adding Yelich would be a massive get for this Jays club.

Cody Bellinger

Sticking with Heyman, the Blue Jays are also finalists in the Cody Bellinger sweepstakes. Each of the Jays and Cubs are apparently pursuing the 2019 MVP. Notably, both clubs were also aggressively pursuing Shohei Ohtani, so Bellinger is Option B.

Bellinger, 28, signed a one-year, "prove it" type of deal with the Cubs prior to last season. He was coming off of two consecutive seasons in which he was well below-average at the plate, so he aimed to rebuild some value on the Cubs.

In 130 games, he did exactly that. Bellinger hit 26 home runs with 97 RBI and a 133 OPS+. He hit over .300 for the first time since 2019 and won a Silver Slugger Award for the second time in his seven-year career. At season's end, he declined his 2024 team option, choosing to bet on himself and test free agency as a reborn man.

Just a few days ago, Bellinger's fiancée Chase Carter shared pictures on her Instagram profile from the city of Toronto. Naturally, that sent Blue Jays fans into a tizzy. There are rumors on X that Carter posted old images just to stir the pot, but it's also very possible that her and Bellinger were in Toronto meeting with the Jays.

Like Yelich, the fit on paper is absolutely there for Bellinger. He plays top-tier defense in the outfield and could play either center or left field in 2024 with Daulton Varsho playing the other position. This would essentially be the Kiermaier-Varsho tandem from last year with a ton more home run potential.