Blue Jays’ Failed Soto and Ohtani Pursuit Leaves Them Troubled as Crucial Superstar Search Hits Roadblock

The Toronto Blue Jays require a steady flow of resources, and it seems like they just lost two of their biggest chances of securing that. The team had their eyes set on acquiring Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto, two of the biggest stars available in MLB free agency. Unfortunately, both of the prospects were swept off by two colossal MLB clubhouses recently. That leaves the Jays with no choice other than to look elsewhere for their future lineup. Is there someone worthy enough to fill the big-brand value shoes, given their current efflux of finances?

The Toronto Blue Jays are one of the few teams that always needed a big name to grace their dugout and act as the face whom the masses would be willing to put all their money on. To date, they’ve been unable to get a slugger with a certain magnetic appeal. Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto were two of the few available free agency options that could act as a solution. However, recent changes made during the MLB winter meetings confirmed that that’s not going to happen anytime soon.

Toronto Blue Jays’ traction dilemma

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Toronto Blue Jays are renovating their stadium, Rogers Centre, for a hefty price of $300 million. The only way the team could’ve coped with the overhead costs was by seeing a sudden influx of revenue that comes with premium seating costs.

The Blue Jays lost their chance of securing Soto or Ohtani after the sluggers chose to side with the Yankees and the Dodgers for the upcoming seasons, respectively. This is posing an immense problem for the Jays, as they have an enormous expense hanging over their heads while their projected income for 2024 keeps looking uncertain. It brings a certain question to mind. Who should the Blue Jays be pursuing next to secure even the slightest chance of seeing a prosperous 2024?

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The next big thing after a missed fling with fate

The top prospect who’s still available in the free agency market is Yoshinobu Yamamoto, with no questions asked. That being said, there is no way the Toronto Blue Jays are going to spend a good $200 million or more on a player they have no use for.

The team is knee-deep in starting pitchers. Their only focus should be on securing a good outfielder to add both face value and power-hitting to their lineup. Outfield phenom and free agent Cody Bellinger seem like a good selling point when it comes to both. They could also choose to reconcile with Matt Chapman, who used to play third base for the team until this season.

Read More: How the New York Yankees’ Juan Soto Ploy Outsmarted Blue Jays, Leaving Toronto Reeling

All things considered, it looks like the Jays have to play it smart if they hope to see a fruitful 2024.