3 best Blue Jays backup plans with Cody Bellinger off the market

2. Blue Jays can re-sign Matt Chapman and run it back

The Blue Jays were an 89-win team last season. For all the disappointment stemming from their early playoffs exit, Toronto was a tough competitor in arguably baseball's deepest division. It was easy to overlook the Jays with Baltimore and Tampa Bay surging at the top of the standings, but Toronto was potent enough to pose a real threat in the playoffs. That is still the case.

With a few marginal improvements, Toronto can claim a path to contention without landing Ohtani or Soto, or even Bellinger. That said, what could end up costing the Blue Jays dearly is not the outside free agents they whiffed on, but the in-house option. Matt Chapman remains unsigned and uncommitted. While there is rampant speculation about San Francisco or another West Coast team snatching the gifted third baseman, he should have a home in Toronto.

Last season was a mixed bag for Chapman at the plate. He slashed .240/.330/.424 with 17 home runs and 54 RBI in 509 AB. The hard-hit metrics were great, but he struggled with strikeouts and often left runners stranded. That said, rather than projecting regression, there's a strong chance that Chapman improves his output in 2024. He should at least smash a few more home runs.

Chapman's bat still has value. When combined with his all-world defense at the hot corner, it becomes a no-brainer. The Blue Jays don't want to get wrapped up in an overly expensive long-term deal that hands Chapman all the leverage — A.K.A., the Scott Boras Special — but assuming his price is about to drop with the regular season on the horizon, Chapman is worth a healthy payday. Without him, the Jays are shorthanded at third base and low on pop at the plate.