Ross Atkins more than willing to let Blue Jays be leverage for Yankees, Mets with Juan Soto

There's no mistaking that Juan Soto is the biggest prize in MLB free agency this offseason. As such, there is already no shortage of suitors to sign the 26-year-old superstar who could potentially land on his fourth team. However, despite the interest from other teams, many have perceived Soto's free agency to ultimately be a battle of New York between the Yankees and Mets.

And yet, one MLB insider is throwing another AL East team into the mix. Sure, the Boston Red Sox have also been mentioned as having interest in Soto, but it's the Toronto Blue Jays that keep gaining steam in pursuit of Soto.

MLB insider Jon Heyman reported on Monday that the Blue Jays and general manager Ross Atkins are the "biggest threat" to take both New York teams out of the equation. He also reported that some in MLB believe that Toronto is a "viable obstacle" to the Yankees and Mets while also noting that the Jays are "highly motivated".

To be sure, it's not hard to believe that the Blue Jays would want Soto in Toronto and that the organization has the money to spend if the superstar slugger wanted an offer from them. It's much harder to believe, however, that Atkins isn't just playing into exactly what Scott Boras and Soto want with their sights set on New York or elsewhere.

Ross Atkins seems happy to be Juan Soto leverage for Yankees, Mets

Atkins and the Blue Jays being in on the big-ticket free agent of a particular offseason isn't anything new. As Heyman also noted, Toronto was among only three clubs that met the $700 million contract figure that Shohei Ohtani desired last offseason. Yet, we all know how that ultimately ended — with Ohtani not playing for the Jays.

This has all of the makings of more of the same, if we're being honest. While Soto has said he'll consider how much a team wants him in his free agency meetings, the top priority we've heard from him and his camp, per several insiders, is that he wants to go somewhere to win. What have we seen from Toronto that suggests they're ready to do that after middling with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette — not to mention the uncertain future of that duo with the organization.

There is always a reason when these types of teams are thrown into the mix, especially when they have the money to burn that Atkins does with the Blue Jays. Just like with Ohtani a year ago, though, it seems most likely that Soto and his agent, Boras, simply look at Toronto as a team they can leverage and exploit to get their demands met from the Yankees, Mets or perhaps another contender.

It's probably a harsh reality for Blue Jays fans to swallow but it's even more infuriating that Atkins appears more than willing to play that part in these proceedings. There has long been an out-of-touch feeling with the front office in Toronto and this is only going to further that while also perhaps furthering the calls to get Atkins out of the building if, indeed, his ballclub is merely a pawn in the Juan Soto free agency game.