On Friday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers made headlines by re-signing free agent slugger Teoscar Hernandez to a three-year deal. Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks secured former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes on a six-year contract in the wee hours of the night.
In the mix were the Toronto Blue Jays, who had a keen interest in both players but couldn’t seal the deal, even with a higher offer for Burnes than Arizona’s. This pattern of near-misses has become all-too-familiar for Blue Jays fans, who have seen their team miss out on big names like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, and Max Fried in recent signing periods.
The frustration among the Blue Jays faithful has been palpable, especially on social media. Posts on “X” from fans express their disappointment with the team’s front office, particularly criticizing executives Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro for not landing high-profile talents and making certain trades that didn’t sit well with the fanbase.
The dissatisfaction is heightened by the looming uncertainty over the future of key players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, who are approaching the end of their rookie contracts. Guerrero Jr., in particular, has indicated a willingness to stay but has expressed that the team’s offers haven’t met his expectations.
Each missed opportunity adds pressure on the organization to hold onto its stars.
With the recent free agent market dealing the Blue Jays another blow, the team’s options are dwindling. The standout free agents still in play for Toronto include Anthony Santander, Alex Bregman, and Roki Sasaki. While there’s also the possibility of pursuing Pete Alonso and shuffling Guerrero Jr. to third base, no significant moves have been made in that direction.
As the offseason unfolds, the pressure mounts for Toronto to make strategic decisions. The fans’ patience wears thin, but the hope remains that a few smart moves could turn the tide and put the Blue Jays back on the path to contention