The Toronto Blue Jays swung big this offseason - and came up empty on two major targets. Losing out on both Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette in the span of days is a gut punch, no way around it.
But to their credit, the Jays didn’t sit on their hands. They were aggressive, reportedly one of the few teams willing to put long-term offers on the table for both stars.
In the end, though, the short-term money won out.
Let’s look at the numbers. Tucker signed a four-year, $240 million deal with the Dodgers.
That’s a staggering $60 million per year. Bichette, meanwhile, took a three-year, $126 million deal from the Mets - $42 million per season.
Those are eye-popping figures, even in today’s market, and they speak to just how much value both players are commanding right now.
Toronto, for its part, made a serious push for Tucker. According to reports, the Blue Jays offered a 10-year, $350 million deal - $35 million annually.
That’s not chump change. But here’s where things get interesting: that $35 million AAV wasn’t just a number they pulled out of a hat.
It was a ceiling, tied directly to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s historic extension from last April - a 14-year, $500 million deal that averages out to $35.7 million per year.
In other words, the Jays weren’t willing to offer Tucker more per year than Guerrero. And that says a lot about how the organization views its franchise cornerstone.
From a roster-building perspective, it’s hard to fault Toronto’s stance. They’ve already committed over $200 million to Dylan Cease on a seven-year deal, and adding another massive contract to the books - especially one that could stretch into the mid-2030s - would’ve seriously limited their financial flexibility.
At some point, you have to set a boundary. Not everyone has the Dodgers’ bottomless wallet.
And while Tucker is a phenomenal talent, betting on him to re-enter free agency in four years and top that long-term total isn’t unreasonable. He’s banking on himself, and given how the market has exploded, it’s a smart play. But Toronto made a calculated decision to hold the line - and that line was Guerrero.
That move also sends a clear message: this is Vlad Jr.’s team now. With Bichette heading to New York, the Blue Jays have fully handed the keys to their five-time All-Star first baseman.
Making sure no one surpasses him in average annual salary isn’t just about finances - it’s about leadership, identity, and continuity. It’s about saying, “This is our guy.”
As for the Dodgers, well, they continue to operate in a different stratosphere. They’re projected to spend around $120 million on Tucker in 2026 alone, once you factor in luxury tax penalties.
That’s Monopoly money territory. But for Toronto, staying disciplined may pay off in the long run, even if it stings in the short term.
The Blue Jays took their shot. They didn’t land Tucker or keep Bichette, but they made competitive offers and stuck to a plan.
In today’s high-stakes free agency landscape, that’s not nothing. Sometimes, drawing a line in the sand is exactly what a franchise needs to do - especially when that line is drawn in ink by the face of your team.