Beyond the Nest: Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Hub

The Toronto Blue Jays have just lost out on both Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto after being among the finalists for both. After the Twitter/X firestorm on Friday about Ohtani flying to Toronto to sign with the team, his decision to actually sign with the Dodgers for $700 Million hurts a lot more for Jays fans. But now is not the time for Ross Atkins to mourn these losses, but rather to pivot and find realistic solutions to major problems, like hitting.

With power, or lack thereof, being a major issue for the Blue Jays in 2023, let’s take a look at which free agents can fill that gap, along with defensive holes at 3B and LF.

Jorge Soler (DH/RF)

Expected Contract: $60,000,000 / 4 Years ($15M AAV)

Personally, Jorge Soler is my Ohtani replacement at DH for the Blue Jays in 2024. With the Blue Jays losing out on Ohtani and also moving on from Brandon Belt, the DH spot is open, and Soler’s power stroke could be a key fixture to revitalize the Jays cleanup spot. In an All-Star worthy 2023, Soler hit 36 HR, putting up a line of .250/.341/.512 with a .853 OPS an OPS+ of 128. His game might remind you of Teoscar Hernandez, a power hitter in the past for the Jays who struggled in RF. While Soler may not come cheap, he is the most realistic free agent power bat left to slot into the Jays cleanup spot, while occasionally giving Springer some relief in RF.

Cody Bellinger (CF/1B)

Expected Contract: $150,000,000 / 6 Years ($25M AAV)

Cody Bellinger is the biggest free agent bat left on the market after Ohtani’s signing. Despite the large contract he’ll demand, many teams may be hesitant to shell out more than $25M annually for his services, due to his past inconsistent seasons. Nevertheless, his left handed power bat would be another big improvement for the Blue Jays at the top of their order. In 2023, Bellinger won a Silver Slugger Award, in addition to putting up a line of .307/.356/.525 with an .881 OPS and 133 OPS+. While he hit only 26 HR compared to Soler’s 36, he adds more of a consistent swing than Soler given his batting average. In this case, Bellinger would slot into CF, while Daulton Varsho would slide into LF, solving the outfield situation for Toronto.

Matt Chapman (3B)

Expected Contract: $120,000,000 / 6 Years ($20M AAV)

With Jeimer Candelario off the board to the Reds, the Toronto Blue Jays essentially have two options for 3B in 2024: Matt Chapman, or another internal option (Davis Schneider, Cavan Biggio, Addison Barger, Orelvis Martinez). As the Blue Jays are competing in 2024, I expect them to choose a Platinum Glove veteran in Chapman. In 2023, Matt Chapman struggled offensively, putting up a line of .240/.330/.424 with a .754 OPS and 108 OPS+. It was just hard to watch Chapman hit sometimes last season, as he struggled with fastballs and off-speed pitches right over the heart of the plate. Despite this, it seems the Blue Jays have no better options at 3B, unless they really put their faith in the farm system.

Closing Thoughts

The Toronto Blue Jays must respond, and fast. With a thinner free agent market, other teams will no doubt also be more active in plugging their own holes. This will not doubt drive up contracts for the remaining free agents, but that’s the last thing Ross Atkins needs to be worrying about. I think at the very least, Jorge Soler is a must, he provides power, and a lot of it at the top of the order. As a DH, this will allow Alejandro Kirk to get some rest as he rotates with Danny Jansen at the catcher’s position in 2024. I’ve thought about Rhys Hoskins as an option at DH, but he may be even pricier at the same level of production as Soler. The ball is in Ross’ court now.