Blue Jays visit with Juan Soto sure sounds a lot like Shohei Ohtani's

The Toronto Blue Jays nearly won the sweepstakes for superstar Shohei Ohtani in free agency last offseason, but they ultimately came up short. 

Ohtani deemed the Los Angeles Dodgers were a more enticing destination, and that proved to be a wise decision. The Dodgers went on to win the 2024 World Series, while the Blue Jays finished the 2024 season with a disappointing 74-88 record.

Now, Toronto is taking another swing at landing a superstar in free agency. The Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and New York Yankees have emerged as the top suitors for marquee free agent Juan Soto.

The Blue Jays will have a difficult time competing against the Yankees and Mets for Soto’s services, but they will likely employ the same strategy they used for Ohtani last year.

Blue Jays may recruit Juan Soto with same strategy used for Shohei Ohtani

Rogers Communications Inc., the Blue Jays ownership group, approved an offer of approximately $700 million for Ohtani last winter, according to Sportsnet. The money was considered to be a special circumstance for Ohtani and could not be redistributed to other areas.

Toronto could use the same strategy to outbid other teams for Soto, who’s even younger than Ohtani. The 26-year-old slugger helped the Yankees make a World Series appearance last season, and he’s expected to command one of the richest contracts in MLB history. 

The price tag, which will likely exceed $600 million, may have scared off a few teams, but the big-market contenders will likely drive up Soto’s price on the open market.

Soto officially met with the Blue Jays, who put together an “impressive” presentation, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. 

Then again, Soto’s meeting with the Red Sox also reportedly went well. In a three-hour meeting with the Red Sox, Soto reportedly made it clear that he is prioritizing three things in his search for a new team: a commitment to winning, talent evaluation, and facilities.

Soto hit .288 with a career-high 41 home runs and 109 RBI last season. The Blue Jays got a close look at Soto’s performance while he helped lead the Yankees to first place in the American League East division. The Blue Jays are likely hoping that Soto can help reverse those standings after they finished in last place in the division.