Blue Jays predicted to add $247M four-time All-Star in free agency blockbuster | Sporting News

The Toronto Blue Jays need to make a splash, pronto. 

Following their disastrous last-place finish in the American League East, the Blue Jays are at a crossroads. Homegrown stars Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette will be free agents in a year’s time and if the Blue Jays aren’t careful, a once-promising roster could fully disintegrate.

After missing out on Shohei Ohtani a year ago, Toronto has once again thrust itself into the biggest free agency battle of the winter by going after Juan Soto. But if they do miss out on Soto, which seems more likely than not, they still need to make a marquee signing.

As much as the Blue Jays also could use help on offense, perhaps that signing could be a top free-agent pitcher.

On Friday, Andy McCullough of The Athletic predicted that the Blue Jays would sign four-time All-Star starting pitcher Corbin Burnes. McCullough’s cohort Jim Bowden projected Burnes for a seven-year, $247 contract earlier this fall. 

“If the Blue Jays are serious about Soto, they should be serious about Burnes, another star represented by Scott Boras. Burnes will likely command the longest deal of all the top starters, but he also presents the longest track record of sustained success,” McCullough said. 

“Burnes could anchor Toronto’s rotation in 2025 and beyond. Chris Bassitt can enter free agency after this season. Kevin Gausman can do the same after 2026. And José Berríos could opt out of his contract after 2026, too.” 

The 30-year-old Burnes has been fantastic for four straight seasons, and in 2024, he got acclimated to the AL East with the Baltimore Orioles. He lost some of his strikeout magic, only punching out 180 batters in 194 innings, but still went 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA. 

Adding Burnes would be a signal from the Jays to the rest of baseball that they aren’t going to accept mediocrity. Ideally, for Toronto’s sake, it wouldn’t be the only big signing they make.

More MLB: Braves could soon lose $174 million All-Star to wild-card Blue Jays, per insider