3 Black Friday free agent bargains the Blue Jays can make with Juan Soto’s money

The Toronto Blue Jays finished last season 14 games under .500 and finished in last place in the AL East, putting GM Ross Atkins squarely in the hot seat. It’s time for Blue Jays management to shut up, which of course means taking an aggressive approach to the offseason.

We saw the Jays go hard against Shohei Ohtani last winter and almost get it done, but he ended up wearing a Dodgers jersey. Now the great white whale is Juan Soto, and it seems equally unlikely that the Jays will emerge victorious. By all accounts, Toronto has made a determined push, but this will come down to a bidding war with the Mets and Yankees. This doesn’t favor the Blue Jays front office, which consistently comes up short in these scenarios.

Soto would help the Blue Jays offense tremendously. The potential of pairing him and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who are arguably the two best young hitters in the American League, is enticing. And yet, deep down, we know this won’t happen. When Toronto is inevitably forced to move elsewhere, the $600 million earmarked for Soto should help the Blue Jays acquire several crucial players. There are other ways for Atkins to make this squad a contender.

Here are some worthwhile alternatives to Juan Soto.

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Justin Verlander finished last season with a 5.48 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 17 starts. It was his worst season in an illustrious two-decade career, and it gave rise to legitimate speculation about his future. The Houston Astros are likely done with Verlander, which could lead the 41-year-old to a new home with one last chance to revive a Hall of Fame career.

Here’s the thing: In theory, Verlander should start the 2025 campaign much healthier than he ended the 2024 campaign. Neck injuries are no joke, especially for a pitcher, and it was impossible to beat Verlander’s consistency over the literal decades. He is one of the most talented and resilient aces we have ever seen. He won’t win the Cy Young next season, but there’s reason to believe Verlander could become somewhat bankable again with a full winter to get it right.

The Blue Jays will likely look to get the most bang for their buck. There are more reliable starters on the market, but the five-year, $182 million contract handed to Blake Snell sets a high standard for elite starters. Corbin Burnes and Max Fried are about to be PAYED. However, Verlander will likely sign a paltry one-year deal worth proving it. The Blue Jays are determined to compete next season. Why not take the plunge and see what happens? There is no risk, but the potential reward is significant.

Teoscar Hernandez spent over five years in a Blue Jays uniform. He developed a close relationship with Toronto All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who was seen wearing Hernandez’s jersey in his 2024 HR Derby appearance. That relationship could lead Hernandez back home to a Blue Jays team that could desperately use Hernandez’s pop in the middle of its lineup.

Nearly the entire Blue Jays offense, aside from Guerrero, experienced a massive decline in 2024. Hernandez, on the other hand, put together his best season to date, slashing .272/.339/.501 with 33 home runs and 99 RBI. It was easy to lose track in the scrum behind Los Angeles’ star team, but Hernandez was a consistent standout for the reigning World Series champions. That postseason experience could prove valuable to a Blue Jays team looking to crack the October code.

That just makes too much sense. We know Hernandez loves Toronto, and we know the Blue Jays’ best player would love a reunion. This gives the Blue Jays an extra boost in Guerrero extension negotiations and also puts Hernandez back in a stadium (and division) he feels extremely comfortable against. Toronto has a hole in the outfield that Hernandez can fill while immediately becoming the obvious cleanup hitter behind Guerrero and Bo Bichette.

The mood among the Jays would be stronger than it has been for a long time.

We know the Jays will remain aggressive with or without Juan Soto. An obvious alternative is Pete Alonso, who slots in comfortably at first base. Jon Heyman from the New York Post recently considered Toronto as a potential destination for Alonso, which would give Toronto’s anemic offense arguably the best National League hitter of the last half-decade.

Now there are obvious problems – Vladdy Jr. is a first baseman by trade. However, Guerrero has experience at third base and the Blue Jays have been laying the groundwork for a position change all winter. The defensive consequences of pushing Guerrero to third and signing Alonso aren’t ideal, but the Blue Jays would count on extensive offensive production to offset those concerns.

At 29, Alonso fits an archetype that generally ages slowly. He has limited defensive stats and his offensive performance relies heavily on raw power. It strikes a lot and is prone to longer cold snaps. There are red flags. However, Alonso also had a dominant postseason in which he was able to impress time and again for the Mets. He is also a unique, exceptionally good hitter. There is reason to believe that the bat could continue to perform well above average in the coming years.

If the Blue Jays can complement the combined hitting power of Alonso and Hernandez with a possible addition of Verlander to the pitching staff, there’s a good chance the team will be much more competitive in 2025.