Ross Atkins' current approach means the Blue Jays can kiss Pete Alonso goodbye

The Toronto Blue Jays whiffed on this offseason's biggest names, but have still found a way to put together a solid winter nonetheless. They upgraded their lineup with Anthony Santander and Andres Gimenez, added to their rotation with Max Scherzer, and addressed their bullpen with Yimi Garcia, Jeff Hoffman and Nick Sandlin.

Even with the absence of the marquee addition, the Blue Jays are undoubtedly better than the 74-win club that they were in 2024. With that being said, it feels as if this lineup in particular is at least one player short — especially given how crucial this upcoming season is for Toronto's long-term trajectory.

Fortunately, despite the fact that Spring Training is rapidly approaching, Pete Alonso is still available on the open market. His fit isn't the cleanest, as his presence would require Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to play more third base than they'd probably like, but his bat is certainly needed. And while the New York Mets continue to play hardball with their former first baseman, there's undoubtedly an opening for another team to swoop in.

The Jays have expressed interest in being that team, and have even sent Alonso an offer, according to MLB insider Hector Gomez. The problem, though, is that Gomez is reporting that their offer is only for three years. If true, the Jays will almost certainly not land the big fish they're looking for.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason.

Ross Atkins must step up offer if Blue Jays want to sign Pete Alonso

How much the Jays are willing to offer Alonso is unclear, but if they're only willing to go up to three years, they're going to have a hard time convincing him to make the move north of the border.

Based on how things have played out, it's abundantly clear that Alonso would like to return to the New York Mets where he's spent his entire six-year career. He's hoping to wait New York out for a bit more money than what the team is currently willing to offer him, but based on how the Mets have acted all winter, they will not go any higher than they're comfortable going to bring Alonso back to Queens. The two sides engaging in a game of chicken has left the door wide open for a team like the Blue Jays to swoop in and sign Alonso.

While Alonso clearly isn't thrilled with how this offseason has played out, the Mets are still his preferred destination until proven otherwise. Knowing this, how can the Jays expect him to come to Toronto for three years, knowing that the Mets offered him a three-year deal that he turned down? Again, we don't know the money, but unless the Jays offered a substantial amount more than New York, which is probably unlikely, how can they think simply matching Alonso's preferred team is good enough?

Often times in free agency, teams have to get uncomfortable. Does anyone think that the Mets wanted to give Juan Soto a 15-year deal for over $750 million? Does anyone think that the New York Yankees wanted to give Max Fried an eight-year deal? As enticing as it sounds to get Alonso for only three years, limiting long-term risk for a player who may not age well, the way for Toronto to lure a player who might not have the Jays as his No. 1 option would be by overpaying. Giving Alonso an extra year or two doesn't sound ideal, but an argument can be made that the extra term is better than not getting the player at all — and winding up in 80-win purgatory in 2025.

To put it simply, it's very rare to persuade a player to jump ship away from a great situation just for market value. The Jays are going to have to get a little bit uncomfortable if they want Alonso.