Scott Boras’ leverage play with Mets all but confirmed by latest Blue Jays-Pete Alonso rumor

Just days after finally landing a high-end free agent by signing Anthony Santander, it seemed like Ross Atkins and the Toronto Blue Jays were about to pull off another. All of a sudden on Thursday, the Blue Jays seemed to quickly emerge as the favorites for first baseman Pete Alonso with some saying a deal wasn't guaranteed but close.

But here's the thing that we as fans should always do when it comes to baseball's winter: Consider the source.

When you start to look at all of the reports that the Blue Jays and Alonso were making progress and possibly nearing a deal, the majority of those rumors came from New York Mets affiliated insiders or media members. Take, for instance, Andy Martino of SNY saying that the deal was at the 10-yard line with the hesitation that the final 10 yards can be hard to earn for Toronto or any team.

After that initial fervor, though, Blue Jays insiders Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet outright refuted that, noting that Toronto's discussions with Alonso (and starting pitcher Max Scherzer, for that matter) were "not gaining momentum".

So we have a source-off. But more likely than that, it seems like we also found out where all of this is coming from: Scott Boras.

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Blue Jays insiders basically confirms Toronto is Scott Boras' patsy to sweeten Mets deal

Frankly, this is from the oldest plays in Boras' playbook. We've known for some time that the obvious reunion on the table between Alonso and the Mets has not gone to the liking of the free agent first baseman or his agent. They came into the offseason looking for far more than it appears that David Stearns and Steve Cohen want to offer.

So if that has persisted to this point and if Alonso ultimately wants nothing more than to rejoin the Mets and be protection in the lineup for Juan Soto, then wouldn't it be smart to try and light a fire under the Mets to move with a bit more urgency? And wouldn't a great way to do that be to present another suitor that is close to making a deal, say the Blue Jays?

That's the most obvious reason for this disconnect between insiders in New York and Toronto. One side is getting information meant to push the Mets, the other is getting information about what's actually going with the Blue Jays.

Ultimately, this leaves Toronto as something they've already been with Boras at least at one point already this offseason, specifically with Juan Soto. Remember when reports came out that you have to really keep an eye on the Jays as a sleeper? That turned out to largely be about money and it never seemed as if Soto was ever a realistic option for Toronto other than to use them as leverage.

As we read between the lines with Alonso now, the situation feels similar. Toronto is surely interested but, in terms of progress, that feels more like a Boras creation to nudge the Mets and not much more. We can see that, perhaps New York's brass can too. But it does ultimately indicate that Alonso, more than anything else, doesn't want to leave the team where he's spent his entire career to this point.