As in years past, it wouldn't be a shock to read, hear, and see them be "involved" in talks with several premier named players and maybe, with the run to the World Series, there is more of an inclination for those players to want to play for the Blue Jays. The Front Office can likely use that as a selling point, but selling to the right players will be key if they are hoping to repeat as champions of the American League.
Were you by any chance looking for something to endlessly talk about until the last week of February? Jon Heyman, full-time New York Post baseball writer and part-time Scott Boras ventriloquist dummy, reported tonight that Alex Bregman is opting out of the two remaining years on his Red Sox contract, which was set to pay him an additional $80 million. A mere eight months after Red Sox CBO Craig Breslow finally put an end to last offseason's most protracted free agency saga by offering Bregman a short-term/high-AAV deal - and a tremendous amount of bargaining power in the form of those opt-outs - we now get to do it all over again.
"Not even thinking about that at all right now. Thinking about the game that just happened," Bregman told reporters. " I'm gonna think about this game and the guys in the room and start my offseason. Get after it and become a better baseball player."
Eight teams have checked in on talented but struggling CF Luis Robert Jr., and if the White Sox can trade him before confronting that $20M option decision, they need to do it.
