The Toronto Blue Jays front office are desperate to do something big.
The Toronto Blue Jays have had a muted off-season so far with their only significant move being the acquisition of Gold Glove-winning infielder Andres Gimenez from the Cleveland Gaurdians earlier this month.
Gimenez is a great defender, but his acquisition is something of a head-scratcher at the current moment, when the team's competitive window may be about to slam shut once again.
According to Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic, the perception within the industry remains that the Jays are desperate to do something big.
After going all in on Juan Soto and striking out, the Blue Jays have put in offers for free agents like Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, Teoscar Hernandez and Anthony Santander without any success so far.
The New York Yankees signed Fried to a $215 million 8-year deal, traded for an elite closer in Devin Williams and traded for Cubs centerfielder Cody Bellinger.
Williams and Bellinger were both in trade talks with the Blue Jays before the evil umpire scooped them up.
And then there was Mississauga Ontario native Josh Naylor who the Blue Jays were also in talks with via trade with the Cleveland Guardians.
And again the Blue Jays brain trust dropped the ball, when the Diamondbacks picked up Naylor from the Guardians for a right-handed pitcher with a career 6.06 era in Slade Ciccone.
The D-Backs gave up very little for the Canadian slugger who would at the very least been a great public relations move for Atkins and Shapiro.
This doesn't look good when trying to acquire other free agents left on the board or for remaining trade targets going forward.
Especially with the uncertainty of Vladimir Guerrero Jr and Bo Bichette's future in Toronto.
Speculatively speaking, the lack of movement on Guerreros extension and a gamble on Bichette's future in a walk year would scare away any free agent looking to sign long term.
Club president Mark Shapiro is in the final year of his contract.
General manager Ross Atkins has just two years left. And the team is coming off a season in which it finished last in the AL East and won only 74 games.
Stay in a prominent public role long enough, and you'll accumulate too many losses for anyone to believe you can win.
Outside of an extension for Guerrero, it's hard to imagine what collection of off-season moves it would take to reinvigorate the faith of an understandably weary group of Blue Jays fans.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season, and his future is undoubtedly the biggest looming question hanging over the Blue Jays as they prepare for what might be their final year of control over the All-Star first baseman.
In an interview yesterday speaking to Ambriendo Sports, Guerrero reiterated that he has interest in staying in Toronto, and is «ready to go» in signing an extension if the Jays meet his asking price.
According to Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith, Guerrero Jr set the first day of Spring Training deadline for extension talks with the Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro, after that Vladdy heads into free agency to the highest bidder.
Ken Rosenthal added that Ross Atkins and the Blue Jays will likely need to pay a premium if they want to ink Guerrero to an extension before he gets a chance to test free agency. Most likely in the $500-$600 Million range.
This is purely speculation, but the earlier «deadline» could also be Guerrero's way of leaving the door open for a trade.
If an extension can't be worked out before Spring Training properly begins and the Blue Jays feel Guerrero won't re-sign next winter, the Jays could pivot and try to trade Guerrero for some longer-term assets prior to Opening Day.
And what about Bo Bichette?
The 26-year-old shortstop will also be a free agent for the first time following the 2025 season as his future in Toronto remains murky.
Dealing with injuries, Bichette had the worst season of his career in 2024, hitting just. 225 with four homers and 31 RBIs alongside a .277 on-base percentage and a .598 OPS over 81 games.
Rosenthal says the Blue Jays "do not appear nearly as interested in signing him as they do Guerrero Jr."
The Blue Jays are reportedly open to moving Bichette for a high price, multiple executives from rival teams told Rosenthal.
However, Rosenthal adds a big return for Bichette seems unlikely given his down year in 2024 and the Blue Jays "do not appear to be shopping" the native of Orlando. Bichette will earn $16.5 million this season.
Over a decade, the executive team led by Shapiro and Atkins have had ample opportunity to lineup up as many of those factors as possible.
It has yet to work, and it seems to be headed in the wrong direction.
In a game defined by failure, this Blue Jays brain trust has little room for error in the coming weeks.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 23 | 272 ANSWERS The Toronto Blue Jays front office are desperate to do something big. Do you still have faith that Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins will sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr to an extension before the spring training deadline? And can they add to this club beyond that? | ||
| Yes | 42 | 15.4 % |
| No | 119 | 43.8 % |
| I sure hope so! | 54 | 19.9 % |
| Fire Ross Atkins before its too late! | 57 | 21 % |
| List of polls | ||
