The Toronto Blue Jays experienced perhaps the biggest heartbreak this offseason. They were flying higher than anyone had ever expected. In every report, Shohei Ohtani was almost theirs, but then reality struck. He went to the Dodgers, while Juan Soto was lost to the Yankees. Now they’re trying to get back on their feet by targeting the biggest ace in town – Yoshinobu Yamamoto. But is the Japanese sensation the only trick up Toronto’s sleeve?

The Blue Jays have a plethora of talent in their pitching lineup, but getting Yamamoto would free them up to use that depth to fulfill other needs. As a result, they’ve created a blueprint of how they’ll look next year if they manage to get the 25-year-old ace.

Blue Jays will likely focus on Yoshinobu Yamamoto and trading

The Blue Birds are planning on where their next flight should be. Although they’re not favorites in the race for Yamamoto, the Jays are willing to go all in on him. Especially as his presence will enable them to trade some of their star pitchers to fill gaps in different positions of their team. As The Athletic reported, “If they were to sign Yamamoto, it would open up the possibility of using some of that depth to acquire an impact bat via a trade.”

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There is no denying that Alek Manoah’s fall has lessened his glow. His 5.87 ERA was a far cry from his Cy Young finalist season in 2022 and he could see himself getting traded if Yamamoto comes to the Jays. Manoah has good years behind that one bad year and teams can take a chance with him.

It’s simple, the Blue Jays have a chronic shortage of positional players. Namely on third base, second base, and in center/left field; using Manoah and some of their top prospects as trading chips to fill those positions is reasonable. The bats of Ohtani and Soto would have been excellent additions but that opportunity is lost.

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The 25-year-old Samurai Japan ace has some of the biggest teams after him. What can the Blue Jays offer him that others can’t?

The Blue Jays’ selling point

Toronto is expected to meet Yamamoto soon and one of their biggest selling points is their infrastructure. The Blue Jays have arguably one of the best facilities in the league due to their $400 billion investment and have a growing market. With a rapidly improving on-field product, Yamamoto could approve of their tremendous potential.

The Blue Jays are also willing to spend high amounts, as shown by their Ohtani pursuit. The clock is ticking on Yamamoto’s free agency. He has until January 4 to choose a team but insiders expect a decision before Christmas. Do you think the Great White North is where he’ll go?

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