The Blue Jays are poised and prone to get one of the big free agents. Team officials have remained in talks thus far, and to date, they have managed to secure Dylan Cease, Tyler Rogers, and Cody Ponce. That doesn’t mean the Jays are done yet. Mark Shapiro has major plans that still need to be carried out.

“My philosophy in free agency is there is no such thing as close,” Shapiro said the other day. “You’re done or not done. There is nothing in between… We need to get better.” He said.

Not long after he made those comments, Nick Gosse of Jays Digest weighed in on Shapiro’s move. “When he said, yes, we want to get better,’ that is acknowledging that they are going to land one of the big fish, at least in my mind. Because I don’t think he would say these things.”

“He wouldn’t say things like this unless the Jays were going, you know, very hard to actually get better. And we know there’s been a lot, a lot of reports about it.”

That said, the Blue Jays are very much in the mix for Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker, as also recently agreed by Sportsnet insider Shi Davidi. To some extent, the team has also been in talks for Alex Bregman.

Apparently, the Blue Jays’ front office isn’t fully satisfied with how the roster looks right now. But that will change soon. Per Ken Rosenthal, team officials have already been in contact with Bregman’s agent, Scott Boras.

From where we stand currently, it looks like Bregman or Bichette would make the most sense for the Blue Jays. Simply because the team’s bigger need lies in the infield rather than the outfield.

If Anthony Santander bounces back this season, the Blue Jays could remain a strong contender even without adding another star bat. Since their unfulfilled World Series run, the team has bolstered its pitching depth so heavily. And now, Shapiro and the front office appear focused on upgrading the offense next.

The Blue Jays are only going to sign a top-tier free agent. If they go after Bregman, they would likely pass on Tucker and Bichette. If the Blue Jays are in the market for a left-handed hitter, Bregman could be a perfect fit. He could take over at third base, and if that happens, Ernie Clement would move to second.

And in case the Blue Jays choose Bregman over Tucker or Bichette, the remaining top free agents on the market won’t have the same big-budget advantage that the Blue Jays could have offered.

Who’s the alternative for the Blue Jays?

The Blue Jays have repeatedly been linked to star free agents Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger. However, as per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the team would be better off focusing on infield upgrades rather than chasing endlessly for Tucker or Bellinger.

“They’ve spent a lot of money already, and it sure seems like with them in the mix for virtually every big name out there, they’ve got one more signing, at least, in them,” Rosenthal said recently on “Foul Territory.” “All these things are in play for the Blue Jays. I imagine Tucker and Cody Bellinger, to an extent, are as well. Their need, their greater need, is in the infield. The Blue Jays—you can see the logic there.”

Tucker and Bellinger are both elite talents, but the Blue Jays’ outfield is already well-stocked with George Springer, Daulton Varsho, Anthony Santander, and Nathan Lukes. So, they need upgrades in the infield.

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Keeping Bichette should be the Blue Jays’ top priority for the rest of the offseason. If he does sign somewhere else, the Jays could turn to other infield alternatives like Kazuma Okamoto. Although the Pirates are also pursuing him. If the Blue Jays want to be in the mix, they will have to outbid them.