Juan Soto's former teammate reveals surprise team weighing massive contract offer

The New York Yankees are set to play their biggest game of the season on Wednesday night, taking on the Kansas City Royals in Game 3 of the ALDS. To say that the stakes are high would be an understatement: New York lost home-field advantage after dropping Game 2 in the Bronx, and another loss would put them on the brink of elimination — and some very tough questions about the direction of the franchise overall. Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole aren't getting any younger (or healthier), and then there's the matter of the $500 million elephant in the room: pending free agent Juan Soto.

The Yankees knew this day would come from the moment they agreed to acquire Soto in a blockbuster deal with the San Diego Padres last winter. They knew the outfielder was in the final year of his contract, they knew that agent Scott Boras would rather die than sign an extension before hitting the open market and they knew that, at age 25, Soto would be in line for a record contract. And sure enough, with Soto's free agency potentially just days away, his market appears to already be heating up.

We obviously knew that the Yankees would do whatever they could to keep Soto around, and we knew they'd get a run for their money from Steve Cohen and the crosstown Mets. But there are plenty of other teams with payroll to burn this winter, and according to a recent report, one of them might be gearing up for a godfather offer.

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Is an AL East rival gearing up for 'astronomical' run at Juan Soto?

NJ.com's Randy Miller thinks a surprising team might swoop in for Soto's services: the Toronto Blue Jays. Miller spoke with a friend and former teammate of the Yankees outfielder, who passed along an eyebrow-raising tidbit: “Look for the Blue Jays to make an astronomical offer."

“The Blue Jays think Soto would be perfect for their lineup and team," the friend continued. "I know their management thinks Soto and [Vladimir] Guerrero [Jr.] for them would be what Soto and [Aaron] Judge were like this year for the Yankees.”

As for how likely Soto would be to consider an offer from Toronto, much less sign there, Miller's source wasn't sure, adding, “I’ve told him, ‘Don’t go somewhere where you’re not going to win.’ But I don’t know what he’s going to do. Nobody does.”

There's a lot to unpack here, and who knows just how plugged into Soto's thinking this friend really is. But on first glance, it does pass the smell test. We know that the Blue Jays have big money to throw around — remember how close they came to landing Shohei Ohtani during that insane saga last offseason. And we know that the franchise has reached an inflection point, coming off a last-place finish and with Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette both entering their final years under contract.

It's put-up-or-shut-up time for Toronto, and while trading Guerrero Jr. or Bichette or both and simply starting over remains an option, Jays ownership could opt to go big in an attempt to get the team back in contention — and convince its two homegrown stars to stick around for the long haul. Plus, while Soto fits like a glove with any team, Toronto does have a need for a left-handed bat and an impact outfielder, especially given the recent decline of George Springer.

This remains all speculation for now. But one thing's for certain: The bidding war for Soto is going to be robust, and it could produce a historic number. The Los Angeles Dodgers are never to be counted out in situations like this, especially if they flame out in the NLDS against the San Diego Padres, and the Philadelphia Phillies could also be motivated to make a big move. All of which helps explain why Soto's friend told Miller that he thinks the outfielder's next contract will begin with a 6, not a 5.

“The number has to start with a six," the source said. "Soto’s still 25 years old. I also can tell you that I doubt he takes any deferred money. I think he’ll get $40 million a year for 15 years. That’s $600 million.”