Roki Sasaki signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, ending his long free-agency search. He narrowed his list down to the Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Diego Padres before making his final decision. After losing out on Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, and Corbin Burnes, Toronto pulled out all the stops. According to Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith, the Blue Jays brought three players in to speak with Sasaki but Vladimir Gurerro Jr was not one of them.
“Quietly, Bo Bichette, Daulton Varsho, and Chad Green all made the trip to Toronto to pitch Sasaki on the Blue Jays last week,” Nicholson-Smith reported.
It is an intriguing list mostly because of Gurrero's absence. While it makes sense because of his pending free agency, Bichette is also in the same position. The shortstop will be a free agent after the 2025 season just like the first baseman but was in the Blue Jays' meeting.
This comes amid rumors that the Blue Jays are interested in Pete Alonso. The first baseman is unlikely to re-sign with the New York Mets after negotiations fell apart. Guerrero would move to third if they brought Alonso in but it would create drama heading into his free agency.
Why do free agents not pick the Blue Jays?

The Blue Jays do not suffer the fate that many small-market baseball teams do. Their owner is willing to spend to improve their team. Goerge Springer is on a massive deal and they would have traded Guerrero already if they weren't willing to make a competitive offer. So why are they continuously spurned by big-time free agents?
The answer to that question when it comes to Juan Soto is simple. The Yankees and Mets engaged in a bidding war that outpriced every other team involved. His $765 million contract is the largest in North American sports history and could escalate to over $800 million. So the Blue Jays cannot take too much from the Soto saga.
Shohei Ohtani was allegedly on a plane on his way to Toronto but that was proven false. Whether the Blue Jays got a chance to match the $700 million deal may never be known but it did not stop fans from booing Ohtani this season.
The Corbin Burnes pursuit is the one that should leave Blue Jays fans scratching their heads. He left money on the table to go to the Diamondbacks instead of staying in a division he just dominated. And Sasaki joined a team where he will not be the ace instead of being the ace in Toronto.