For a while, it looked like the Toronto Blue Jays might have a clever workaround in the making. If Bo Bichette’s market got too wild or too expensive, then they had a solution– Ketel Marte. A perfect switch hitter, without a contract that would blow up the payroll. It seemed like the perfect pivot.

However, here is the thing – that window is closing too, and the Tampa Bay Rays are the reason.

Insider Chris Gimenez didn’t sugarcoat things. He mentioned that the moment they moved Brandon Lowe, the alarm bells started going off. The Rays now have a second base opening, as well as prospect capital, and not to forget the reputation to pull off big moves without spending big money.

“The Rays are in an interesting spot,” Giminez said. “They don’t have payroll flexibility, so they have to be creative…As soon as I heard the Rays were interested in Ketel Marte, I thought, He’s absolutely getting traded to Tampa Bay.”

That’s not great news for Toronto. They are very much waiting for Bichette. Ross Atkins knows that there could be a bidding war. If all sources are to be believed, then the number can go from $150 million to $200 million. That’s why Marte made sense as a Plan B for them.

Plus, the Toronto Blue Jays already had Andres Gimenez there to handle both the middle infield spots, depending on who comes in. Marte would fit well, and his deal has $92 million guaranteed left, plus a player option down the line. Not cheap, but far more predictable than where Bo’s market could spiral to.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays have been silently loading up. They traded Shane Baz and Lowe and were able to add even more prospect depth to an already strong farm system. MLB, in fact, pointed out that Tampa was in the top 10 in farm rankings before those deals. This matters because Arizona wants pitching depth, either MLB-ready arms or even the upside prospects, in any Marte trade deal.

And here is the real licker – this would not even be the first time that the Rays and D-backs talked about Ketel Marte. They happened before Lowe’s exit, too! So Jays for sure have to keep a watch on the $1.25 billion AL East rival too.

But they are not the only AL rivals they need to worry about!

Toronto Blue Jays Ketel Marte plans have a real Red Sox threat!

The Boston Red Sox have no doubt not given everyone that “aha” moment with a jaw-dropping trade this off-season yet, but don’t mistake this silence as inactivity because behind the scenes, Boston might be trying to do something big – and it starts with Ketel Marte.

According to MLB insider Francys Romero, along with Tampa, even the Red Sox are “actively pushing” to get the Arizona Diamondbacks’ second baseman. Nothing seems close yet, but the Marte demand is for sure high. And it’s not hard to see why. Marte was outstanding in 2025. He hit .283 with 28 home runs and 72 RBIs in just 126 games.

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He also made the third All-Star team, won the NL Silver Slugger at second base, landed on the All-MLB First Team, and even then still finished 22nd in NL MVP voting. This, by the way, happened at the foot of Diamondbacks, finishing 80-82 and missing the postseason altogether.

If you zoom further, then Marte’s resume is even better, and over 11 MLB seasons, he has 171 homers and 587 RBIs. So, of course, landing him won’t come cheap or easy. Yahoo Sports Russell Dorsey, in fact, made up a mock trade that can make the Sox fans gulp. So Arizona would apparently want the top prospects like Payton Tolle and Franklin Arias, plus the former top prospect Kristian Campbell.

Thus, there is a massive demand for sure, but if Boston wants the best second baseman since its Dustin Pedroia days, then stepping back might not be an option.