The Toronto Blue Jays and Seiya Suzuki have been paired as a match for months.
It’s easy enough during a given MLB season to look at upcoming free agents from multiple rosters and figure out who might have openings and who might have money to spend.
The Blue Jays have basically aligned with Suzuki, the free agent outfielder from the Chicago Cubs, in every way.
They’d even have a chance for him to join his Japanese countryman, Kazuma Okamoto, who just had a solid debut season in Toronto.
Free agency hasn’t officially arrived yet, but that hasn’t stopped the rumor mills and speculation from continuing.
And the latest update for the Blue Jays and Suzuki continues to suggest that they could end up together.
Seiya Suzuki Blue Jays Update
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden wrote on Tuesday that he sees the Blue Jays as one of the best fits for Suzuki in free agency.
Bowden notes the Philadelphia Phillies as the team Toronto could have to compete with, and it’s worth adding that Bowden has the Phillies interested in Randy Arozarena, too, but not the Blue Jays. So if Philadelphia ended up with Arozarena, that could help the Blue Jays get Suzuki.
“There is a lot of scuttlebutt in the industry that the Blue Jays are going to be targeting him as they look to add more offense to their outfield and more protection in their lineup for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.,” writes Bowden. “Suzuki was a consistent performer for the Cubs over the past five years, averaging over 20 homers per season and an OPS+ of at least 125 over the past four seasons.”
After a season in which the Blue Jays missed the playoffs, they certainly won’t want to go the entire offseason without making a splash. Suzuki would qualify, particularly in a weak free agent hitter market.
Given all the chatter, there’s really no surprise that Bowden is linking Suzuki to the Blue Jays, too. They’ll still have to close the deal at some point.
Seiya Suzuki Contract Projection
Bowden also provided a contract projection for Suzuki as part of his blurb. He predicts a five-year deal for $120 million, which would be $24 million per year.
“Suzuki is coming off the best year of his MLB career,” Bowden writes. “He had a .270/.368/.473 slash line with 26 homers and a 131 OPS+. He not only ranked among the better hitters in batting run value, but he improved his defense in right to become an asset there as well.”
In a better free agent class, Suzuki might fly under the radar. In this one, he’s going to be one of the prized signings, and the Blue Jays sure seem to be hoping he can be theirs.
Blue Jays’ Seiya Suzuki Update Says What Everyone Is Thinking