The Blue Jays interest in is well-known, with even listing the Jays and Angels as the frontrunners to sign the All-Star outfielder in a report last week. Toronto has formalized its pursuit of Santander by making an official contract offer, according to , though the size and length of the offer isnt known. MLB Trade Rumors ranked Santander ninth on our list of , and projected the longtime Orioles outfielder for a four-year, $80MM deal. Santander and his reps at the Beverly Hills Sports Council have been looking to top that number, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported last month that Santander is looking worth . Given how many other notable free agents have landed bigger deals than expected this winter, it isnt surprising that Santander is aiming Thairo Estrada Jersey high, and he might have some leverage since so many other big bats have already signed elsewhere. Beyond the Blue Jays and Angels, the Tigers, Red Sox, and Yankees have also been publicly linked to Santander, and it is po sible another club or two might be lurking to see how his market develops. One team that doesnt appear to be in the running for Santander is Houston, as Alexander notes that the Astros are very unlikely to dole out the type of contract that would basically ensure that the team stays over the luxury tax threshold. RosterResources of a $244MM tax number for the Astros already puts them over the $241MM threshold, and there has been speculation that Houston might look to move a contract in order to duck under the line and reset its tax status. Because the Astros were tax payors in 2024, they also have to give up two 2025 draft picks and $1MM in international bonus pool money for signing any free agent that rejects a qualifying offer, and Houston already paid those extra penalties to sign . Adding a powerful switch-hitter like Santander would cover multiple needs for the Jays, whose largely right-handed hitting lineup finished 26th in the majors last year in home runs. Putting Santander behind (who contributed 30 of the Jays 156 homers in 2024) in the lineup would give Guerrero some valuable protection, and theres a ready-made defensive position for Santander in left field. Since the Blue Jays dont have a set designated hitter, Santander could get a good chunk of at-bats from the DH spot, which also works since Santanders outfield defense is average at best. It has been a pretty quiet offseason for the Blue Jays, though not for lack of effort, as the team has been linked to almost every major free agent on the market. Toronto made aggre sive bids for both the top hitter ( ) and pitcher ( ) available, and that the Jays may have outbid the Diamondbacks $210MM contract with Burnes, but the right-hander took le s money in order to pitch closer to his home in Arizona. For all of the Jays free agent dealings, their only noteworthy deal has been a two-year pact with old friend . Torontos other big offseason move to date with the Guardians that brought second baseman and reliever into the fold, but Gimenezs subpar hitting numbers over the last two seasons offers no promise that hell help the Blue Jays lackluster offense. Signing Santander would at least quiet the narrative that the Jays are unable to land top free agents, even if the heat on GM Ro s Atkins and team president Mark Shapiro wont really let up unle s the Blue Jays turn things around on the field in 2025. Arguably no team in baseball faces as much short-term pre sure as the Jays, since Guerrero and are both free agents next winter and there isnt any indication that the club is making any headway in extension talks. Bringing in Santander on a long-term deal could be viewed as a move to lock a big bat into the lineup even if Guerrero does leave, similar to how the Gimenez trade could be interpreted as a move to shore up the shortstop position if Bichette departs. Robby Thompson Jersey