ORLANDO, Fla. – If there is one team willing and able to provide an outfielder. Kyle Tucker The $400 million he's seeking as a free agent is Toronto Blue Jaysaccording to multiple agents, executives and managers at baseball's annual winter meetings this week. And if there is one team capable of both trading and expanding Detroit Tigers ace Pull Skubalaaccording to insiders, this Los Angeles Dodgers.
Less than six weeks after competing in one of the most exciting and hotly contested World Series in recent memory, the Blue Jays and Dodgers are in the middle of an offseason expected to be filled with action next week, once again etched into the sports subconscious.
The Blue Jays have already acquired arguably the best pitcher in free agency with the signing of Dylan Keys on a seven-year, $210 million deal and are poised to take another nine-figure deal in pursuit of the bat. The Dodgers signed the most decorated player in free agency, agreeing to a three-year, $69 million deal with Edwin Diazand have the resources to pull off the biggest deal of the offseason, whatever form it takes. The Blue Jays may not end up getting Tucker. The Dodgers, in search of an outfielder and also interested in Tucker, albeit on a short-term contract, may not get Skubal. But their presence is noticeable at a time when many owners of large markets seem reluctant to spend money.
Chicago Cubs need a variety of advertising, but are wary of the luxury tax threshold; That Houston Astros desperate for a free agent replacement Framber Valdez in rotation, but will probably have to do it through trade; That San Diego Padres And Texas Rangers strive to cut costs again; That San Francisco Giants they are expected to act conservatively; and although Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees And New York Mets could sign at least one major free agent this offseason, all of them are playing more economically than their fans are used to.
The free agent pool, defined more by depth than star power, is certainly a factor. But two agents who spoke to ESPN this week said some teams have told them they aren't being aggressive in free agency because of what they believe are labor issues. will lead to a lockout next December and can significantly change the economics of sports. The continued deterioration of local television deals is an equally important factor, if not more important, league and team sources say. Yet the Blue Jays and Dodgers seem to exist outside of these problems, which probably shouldn't come as a surprise.
The Blue Jays are backed by Rogers Communications, one of Canada's largest media conglomerates. The Dodgers, bolstered by the massive revenue streams generated by Shohei Ohtanihave a local media contract that many consider the most lucrative and stable in the industry.
They may be on a different collision course.
IF YOU WANT To understand how the Dodgers' financial situation has changed since signing Ohtani 24 months ago, look no further than the relievers. The Dodgers signed the contract in early 2025. Tanner Scott to a four-year deal worth $72 million, the kind of massive commitment for a volatile position group that Andrew Friedman, now in his 12th year as president of baseball operations, has avoided his entire career. Scott was severely burned out in his first year in Los Angeles, yet Friedman bounced back on Tuesday, filling a need for the Dodgers in the ninth inning, rewarding Diaz with the highest annual average ever for a hitter.
Ultimately, it's a no-brainer: Dodgers owner Mark Walter is willing to spend whatever it takes, and his assistants are happy to help.
“We're in a really strong position financially right now, and our ownership group has been incredibly supportive of bringing those funds back into our team and partnering with our fans,” Friedman said.
“When we look at things, if we had a very limited budget, we probably wouldn't allocate it the same way. But having more resources allows us to be a little more aggressive about it. In a world where there are severe restrictions, I personally would not single out this area over other areas. But we're in a really fortunate position right now and we have a really talented team heading into 2026. the best position to win the World Series.”
Diaz followed Ohtani. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernandez, Blake Snell, Rocky Sasaki and Scott are all considered among the best players at their positions over the past three offseasons, and all were acquired by the Dodgers. The team's competitive tax payroll in 2025 was approximately $415 million, a full $70 million more than the second-place Mets. The Diaz deal all but guarantees that they'll hit Major League Baseball's highest cap again in 2026.
The Dodgers are interested in recruiting Enrique Hernandez back, sources said, and would prefer to use a surplus of outfield prospects to fill out its roster with batting specialists such as Cleveland Guardians left fielder Stephen Kwan And St. Louis Cardinals utility worker Brendan Donovan are considered ideal. In other words, they can very easily take the straight path. Or, while aggressively pursuing a three-way deal, they could pounce on Tucker with another short-term, high-AAV deal, or use their massive starting depth – including perhaps Glasnow, whose name has been widely discussed – to land Skubal. They can even do both.
In the words of one rival executive: “You can never rule anything out with them.”
TUCKER DOES HIS OWN Offseason home in Tampa, Florida, 25 miles from Blue Jays spring training headquarters in Dunedin. Visiting the complex of one of his most aggressive fans is a no-brainer as Tucker becomes a free agent for the first time. Yet reports of him being spotted there last week raised eyebrows – not just among Blue Jays fans still recovering from a crushing World Series loss, but also among industry insiders who recognize what a game-changer this place could become.
Of course, one facility alone can't make an impact on a top-tier free agent, but if there's one capable of doing so, it's the Blue Jays' sprawling, state-of-the-art spring training home.
As one agent said, “This sucks.”
But this is also not new. The Blue Jays boast arguably the most modern baseball complex since completing an $80 million renovation five years ago. Meanwhile, the city of Toronto has always been highly respected. Their fans have always been passionate. But over the past eight months, during which Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. signed a $500 million extension and led a World Series that captivated the nation, players' perceptions of them changed dramatically.
“You're on Zoom calls with high-level players who speak very, very highly of the organization, the facilities, the players that are on the team and the way they carry themselves,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “It was a shift. I feel like in years past with some of the bigger players we kind of sold us to them, whereas now I think the players know what they're getting into as soon as they start talking to us.”
For so long, the Blue Jays were a team left at the altar. Inspired runs to Juan SotoOtani and Sasaki only led to grief. Players are now expected to finally withdraw their money. It all started with Guerrero's contract extension in April, followed by Chese and his fellow starters. Cody Ponce in free agency earlier this month. But the Blue Jays are also expected to add a bona fide late-inning reliever, and some agents and opposing executives view them as favorites for either Tucker or Bichette – or perhaps both.
Their march to the World Series made them a legitimate landing spot for players hungry to win, and shed new light on a period previously marked by three playoff appearances and zero wins. It also highlighted their most attractive features.
Schneider's popularity among players is one of them. Another example is Canada's passion for the Blue Jays, which became the country's only major league franchise after the demise of the Montreal Expos. Their facilities – a sprawling campus in Dunedin and a state-of-the-art gym in Toronto, designed to make them a destination – are another.
However, the most remarkable thing is their money.
Perhaps this will finally change the situation.
