Big Plans in Toronto? Blue Jays Eye Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto as Off-Season Tension Builds

Toronto Blue Jays have been in the news lately. First due to their shortstop Bo Bichette’s trade rumors, then because of them being an underrated participant in the $500 million sweepstakes of Shohei Ohtani. But there’s much more left to happen in the Jays story this offseason. With them losing some of their best hitters to free agency, they’re looking to add a lot of names to their roster, names that could include Juan Soto.

While Soto has been perennially linked with the New York Yankees, they aren’t the only ones looking to trade the slugger. The Mets are ready to go for him and if recent comments are anything to go by, so are the Toronto Blue Jays.

Toronto Blue Jays could go after Juan Soto if things fall into place

The Athletic recently posted an interview with the Jays’ GM Ross Atkins. They talked about a variety of places the Jays can invest in this year. While Atkins was extremely bullish regarding his team’s prospects, he said some areas needed improvement. The biggest among them was batting.

The Jays lost Matt Chapman, Whit Merrifield, Brandon Belt, and Kevin Kiermaier to free agency this season. This has created a big 4 player vacancy in their hitting lineup. Atkins said that they could fill these spots internally. Still, he agreed that if the need arises, he’s ready to bring in new players. Even if that meant they were here only for a year.

“This very good team that we want to lean into… if that means trading for a player that only has one year of control or signing a player to a one-year deal, as you’ve seen we’ve done, we are absolutely open to that.” the Jays GM said.

Read more: Blue Jays to Chicago Cubs: 5 Shohei Ohtani Free Agency Destinations That Fly Under the Radar

This, coupled with another comment of adding an impact player to the team, could point at Juan Soto. The Blue Birds have lacked a player that can help take the next step towards glory. Soto could be that player. But the question arises: how will they attract Soto?

The Blue Birds’ market is highly underrated

The reason why the GM is very bullish about the Jays is because of their market. “We are one of the few markets, I believe, that has the ability to be nimble.” He said this because the Jays have their fanbase spread around the country. Coupled with good infrastructure and a roster full of talents, they are an attractive place.

Another reason is their stadium, which is one of the most hitter-friendly in the league. They can attract Soto by the good hitting potential he’d enjoy in the Rogers Center.

As it stands, the Jays have surely made things interesting in the Juan Soto saga.

Watch This Story: ESPN Insider Drops Bold Juan Soto Predictions: Fans Eagerly Shout ‘Yankee’ With 100% Confidence.