Even Jeff Passan has had enough of the Blue Jays’ excuses when it comes to Alex Bregman.
With Spring Training fast approaching, most of the top free agents have signed, except for Bregman. The two-time All-Star remains the best player available, yet there’s still no clear indication of where he’ll land in 2025—just as uncertain as it was back in November.
Throughout the offseason, teams like the Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and Chicago Cubs have been linked to Bregman, and according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, those teams are still in the running. However, if any team should be the most desperate to sign him, it’s the Blue Jays. Coming off a disappointing season, Toronto faces the potential departure of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in free agency and lacks much excitement elsewhere on the roster. Landing Bregman wouldn’t just make them more competitive in 2025—it could also help convince Guerrero to commit to a long-term future with the team.
Despite the glaring need, Bregman remains unsigned, and Passan appears frustrated with Toronto’s inaction. The Blue Jays have run out of excuses not to sign him, and Passan knows it.
Bregman isn’t just the top remaining free agent this offseason—he’s also the best infielder set to hit the market for the foreseeable future. Only a few infielders, including Bo Bichette, Luis Arraez, Brandon Lowe, and Nico Hoerner, have posted a season with at least 4.0 bWAR in the past five years. Bregman has done it three seasons in a row and six times in his eight full MLB seasons. Simply put, he’s a star, and the future infield free-agent market lacks similar talent.
Passan highlighted why some teams may be hesitant to meet Bregman’s asking price:
- The Tigers have a promising young infielder in Jace Jung and a solid platoon option in Matt Vierling.
- The Astros traded for Isaac Paredes to take over third base.
- The Red Sox already have Rafael Devers at third and two top prospects, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer, on the way.
- The Cubs’ best prospect, Matt Shaw, plays second and third.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jays? They have no fallback plan. Without Bregman, Ernie Clement is projected to be their starting third baseman—an unacceptable situation for a team that wants to contend. Passan did acknowledge that Toronto’s payroll, already around $270 million, would enter the “Steve Cohen Tax” territory if they signed Bregman. While that’s a legitimate financial concern, if the goal is to win in 2025, ownership should be willing to spend.
The Jays have improved this offseason, adding Anthony Santander, Max Scherzer, Jeff Hoffman, and Yimi García. But none of those signings match what Bregman would bring. He’d upgrade a weak position, provide much-needed power to a lineup that ranked 26th in home runs last season, and play Gold Glove-caliber defense at third base.
Without Bregman, Toronto is likely the fourth-best team in the AL East. With him, they could legitimately compete with the division’s top teams and become a serious playoff threat. At this point, money is the only excuse left for not making the deal—and ownership has plenty of it. If the Blue Jays truly want to win, they need to find a way to bring Bregman to Toronto.
