Nearly a year after the frenzy surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s free agency, another MLB superstar is just weeks away from hitting the open market and potentially igniting the baseball offseason: Juan Soto. And the team rumored to be preparing the second-largest contract in North American sports history is…the Toronto Blue Jays?!

While many view the New York Yankees and New York Mets as the frontrunners for Soto, several other teams, including the Blue Jays, are eager to secure the services of the 25-year-old star. Toronto previously attempted to sign Ohtani last offseason, demonstrating their ambition.

The latest buzz comes from an anonymous active player who has played with Soto and shares his agent, Scott Boras. This player has heard whispers about the Blue Jays making an extraordinary bid for Soto’s services. “Look for the Blue Jays to make an astronomical offer,” the player’s friend disclosed to Randy Miller of NJ.com. “I heard it with my own ears.”

Given the franchise’s performance entering last offseason, it was no surprise that the Blue Jays were interested in Ohtani. Coming off consecutive playoff appearances and a 91-win season in 2021, they unexpectedly finished fourth in a competitive AL East. However, a disappointing 2024 season with a 15-win decrease and a last-place finish might have shifted the team’s priorities, especially with multi-time All-Stars Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette becoming free agents after the 2025 season.

Despite this, the Blue Jays are undeterred in their pursuit of Soto. “The Blue Jays believe Soto would be a perfect fit for their lineup and team,” the anonymous player remarked. “I know their management thinks that Soto and Guerrero would be similar to what Soto and (Aaron) Judge were for the Yankees this year.”

Juan Soto’s 2024 could end with hardware & a monster deal

Discussions about Juan Soto’s impending free agency have been ongoing for over a year, but the current focus isn’t on which team the four-time All-Star will choose this offseason. Instead, Soto and the New York Yankees are currently engaged in a fierce battle against the Kansas City Royals in their AL Division Series.

The Yankees are favored to win the World Series but find themselves just two losses away from elimination, with the next two games scheduled to take place in Kansas City.

Whether a disappointing playoff exit will influence Soto’s free agency decision remains uncertain, but it’s expected that the Yankees will present the highest bid for his services. However, his friend and former teammate admits that he doesn’t know what Soto wants or plans to do.

Regarding potential contract figures, Soto’s friend believes a starting number of $500 million would not be sufficient. “Too low,” he stated. “The number has to start with a six. Soto is still just 25 years old. I can also tell you that I doubt he will accept any deferred money.”

This last detail could limit some teams’ ability to compete for Soto, but it will be fascinating to see how MLB franchises position themselves to acquire one of the game’s premier talents this winter.

The anonymous player forecasts that Soto will sign a staggering 15-year, $600 million contract, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Washington Nationals also rumored to be in the running.