The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly one of the teams at the forefront of Freddie Freeman's market in MLB free agency. After the Atlanta Braves signaled their decision to move on from Freeman by trading for Matt Olson and subsequently handing him a lucrative extension, Freeman's market truly began to heat up. The latest rumblings from the Jays, however, suggest the team feels more optimistic about its chances of landing a different star free agent. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic indicates the Jays are more confident in their ability to sign Kyle Schwarber than Freeman.

That's not to say the Jays are out on Freeman, as they will surely remain in the mix until the 32-year-old signs his new contract. They'll still have to fend off interest from other teams for Schwarber too, if that's the route they end up trying to take. The Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly interested in the slugger as well, with other teams believed to be involved.

Freeman has been linked to the Dodgers, Jays, Padres, and Yankees, among other teams. It's unclear what his preferred destination is, however, so there's certainly still hope for the Blue Jays to make a late push to land the 2020 NL MVP.

Schwarber is coming off an excellent season with the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox. He crushed 32 home runs and had 71 RBI last year, including a sensational month of June that saw him launch 16 home runs, including six out of the leadoff spot.

He'd be a great fit in Toronto, where he could play DH or man left field and join a core of talented young hitters looking to push for a World Series.