The Athletic Projects Blue Jays to Win Bidding War for $189 Million All-Star
By Jackson Roberts

One major prize remains in Major League Baseball’s free agency, and the Toronto Blue Jays are seen as one of the frontrunners to secure it.

Throughout the offseason, the Blue Jays have been seeking additional stars to support Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and persuade him to stay when he hits free agency. The final major free agent left on the market is two-time All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman.

Bregman is seeking at least a six-year deal, and reports indicate that only the Blue Jays and his former team, the Houston Astros, have made offers that meet this demand. Other teams in the mix include the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Detroit Tigers.

The Blue Jays’ main challenge in pursuing Bregman is their uncertain future. If Guerrero had already signed an extension, or if Toronto had one of the best farm systems in the game, a six-year deal might have already sealed the deal.

However, The Athletic’s Chad Jennings predicted on Friday that the Blue Jays would ultimately win the bidding war for Bregman, citing the team’s strong desire to make a big move.

“This is the splash the Blue Jays have been trying to make for a couple of years,” Jennings wrote. “Bregman is a better fit—both short-term and long-term—than (Pete) Alonso would have been, and he would give the Blue Jays one of the best infields in baseball alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and Andrés Giménez. Bregman is essentially the biggest move any team could make, and the Blue Jays are as motivated as anyone to make it.”

Bregman won his first Gold Glove last season, hitting 26 home runs and finishing with a .768 OPS despite an early-season slump. Though he’s entering his age-31 season, signing him long-term carries risks, but the Blue Jays are in a position where they need to take those risks.

Earlier this offseason, Jennings’ colleague at The Athletic, Tim Britton, projected Bregman to land a seven-year, $189 million deal. While it seemed unlikely at times that Bregman would reach that figure, the first team to offer a seven-year deal could ultimately secure him, especially if both the Blue Jays and Astros have six-year offers on the table.

Although nothing is final until Bregman signs, Jennings’ prediction should give Blue Jays fans some optimism as spring training draws near.