With the Toronto Blue Jays missing out on Pete Alonso, what’s next?

Well, Ross Atkins had a few interesting quotes in a press conference on Friday. The most notable thing the Blue Jays general manager said was that adding to the team would likely come through a trade. <a href="https://twitter.com/ArdenZwelling/status/1887933699620049282">The entire quote can be found below</a>.
<blockquote>“We’ll never stop on that front if there’s a way to do it.” Atkins said. “If there’s a way to upgrade any aspect [of the roster], whether it’s run prevention, run scoring, to our bullpen. It’d be hard to add to the rotation at this point unless it’s just depth. On the position player group, if there’s a way to increase our depth, we’ll look to do that. I think at this point it would require a trade for us to add to the team. It doesn’t have to. But it most likely would be the case.”</blockquote>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="330" data-promotion-id="18983" data-context="“web-content-promocard&quot;"></div>
&nbsp;
Reading between the lines, it doesn’t seem likely that the Blue Jays believe they can add top free agent Alex Bregman. Of course, <a href="https://twitter.com/hgomez27/status/1887570355180740945">it’s been rumoured that they offered him a six-year deal</a> but the Blue Jays were also reportedly close to signing Pete Alonso, so take any rumours with a grain of salt.
More directly, Atkins noted that trading for a second power bat is the more likely option if they decide to go down that path. The question then becomes, what power hitter would even be available through a trade? At one point, it seemed as if Brent Rooker was the best power-hitter option who could be available, but he signed an extension with the Sacramento Athletics and probably isn’t an option.
Another potential option is Jesús Sánchez of the Miami Marlins. Not much of a power-hitter, the 27-year-old slashed .252/.313/.417 with a career-high 18 home runs in 537 plate appearances last season for the Marlins. His bat wouldn&#8217;t be bad by any means, though. Luis Robert Jr. is another option, as he’s coming off a not-so-great 2024, but slashed .264/.315/.542 with 38 home runs in 595 plate appearances with the Chicago White Sox in 2023.
Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like the Blue Jays are done adding this off-season as they need another bat to put them in contention. Add in a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension with the moves they’ve already made this off-season, and the Blue Jays are starting to look like a team that may be able to do some damage in the American League East this season.
<hr />
As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.
<hr />
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="324" data-promotion-id="18983" data-context="web-content-promocard"></div>
&nbsp;

With the Toronto Blue Jays missing out on Pete Alonso, what’s next?



Well, Ross Atkins had a few interesting quotes in a press conference on Friday. The most notable thing the Blue Jays general manager said was that adding to the team would likely come through a trade. <a href="https://twitter.com/ArdenZwelling/status/1887933699620049282">The entire quote can be found below</a>.
<blockquote>“We’ll never stop on that front if there’s a way to do it.” Atkins said. “If there’s a way to upgrade any aspect [of the roster], whether it’s run prevention, run scoring, to our bullpen. It’d be hard to add to the rotation at this point unless it’s just depth. On the position player group, if there’s a way to increase our depth, we’ll look to do that. I think at this point it would require a trade for us to add to the team. It doesn’t have to. But it most likely would be the case.”</blockquote>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="330" data-promotion-id="18983" data-context="“web-content-promocard&quot;"></div>
&nbsp;

Reading between the lines, it doesn’t seem likely that the Blue Jays believe they can add top free agent Alex Bregman. Of course, <a href="https://twitter.com/hgomez27/status/1887570355180740945">it’s been rumoured that they offered him a six-year deal</a> but the Blue Jays were also reportedly close to signing Pete Alonso, so take any rumours with a grain of salt.

More directly, Atkins noted that trading for a second power bat is the more likely option if they decide to go down that path. The question then becomes, what power hitter would even be available through a trade? At one point, it seemed as if Brent Rooker was the best power-hitter option who could be available, but he signed an extension with the Sacramento Athletics and probably isn’t an option.

Another potential option is Jesús Sánchez of the Miami Marlins. Not much of a power-hitter, the 27-year-old slashed .252/.313/.417 with a career-high 18 home runs in 537 plate appearances last season for the Marlins. His bat wouldn't be bad by any means, though. Luis Robert Jr. is another option, as he’s coming off a not-so-great 2024, but slashed .264/.315/.542 with 38 home runs in 595 plate appearances with the Chicago White Sox in 2023.

Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like the Blue Jays are done adding this off-season as they need another bat to put them in contention. Add in a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension with the moves they’ve already made this off-season, and the Blue Jays are starting to look like a team that may be able to do some damage in the American League East this season.

<hr />

As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

<hr />

<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="324" data-promotion-id="18983" data-context="web-content-promocard"></div>
&nbsp;

Ross Atkins: “At this point, adding to the team ‘would most likely’ come through a trade” for the Blue Jays

Recent articles from Ryley Delaney

Breaking News