According to Bob Nightengale of *USA Today*, there’s little belief that the Toronto Blue Jays will land Juan Soto unless they significantly overpay in free agency. Nightengale pointed out that with president Mark Shapiro in the final year of his contract, and star players Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette nearing free agency, the Blue Jays may have no choice but to offer huge deals to free agents. This could be necessary to compensate for the uncertainty surrounding Guerrero and Bichette’s futures in Toronto.

From Soto’s perspective, the idea of joining a team where his potential supporting cast could be gone soon might not be appealing—even if the Blue Jays offer him the biggest contract. Nightengale suggests that Soto could be wary of committing to a team that may not have long-term stability in its lineup.

The Blue Jays do have financial flexibility moving forward, which could allow them to sign both Soto and extend Guerrero Jr., but that’s not guaranteed. Given Toronto’s underwhelming 74-88 season and last-place finish in the AL East, Soto might have reservations. Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Soto, coming off a strong season with the Yankees, where he hit .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs, helped the team reach the World Series. A World Series champion and batting title winner, Soto remains one of baseball’s elite hitters.