The Toronto Blue Jays have swung big in several offseasons, only to spin around and whiff a la John Kruk in the 1993 All-Star Game, which is coincidentally the last year this franchise won a championship. But perhaps this winter will truly be different. Following a fantastic campaign that ended agonizingly short of a World Series win, the Jays should be as appealing as ever to free agents. Apparently, they have a big one on their radar.

“The one team I heard more than anybody else connected to {Kyle Tucker} was the Blue Jays,” MLB insider Mark Feinsand said on MLB Network. “I think Tucker is certainly going to be in the mix there in Toronto.”

Feinsand mentioned the challenges of pursuing the four-time All-Star right fielder while also re-signing two-time All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette and adding pitching reinforcements, but he expects the Blue Jays to stay engaged. It is easy to see what Tucker brings to a club.

Although he tailed off in the second half of the season, the 28-year-old still won his second Silver Slugger award after batting .266 with 22 home runs, 73 RBIs, a .464 slugging percentage and .841 OPS. Tucker, in what was an uneven year, remained vastly above league average in the batter's box and earned a 4.6 WAR (wins above replacement). The left-handed hitter will cost a substantial amount of money, but he comes with a solid floor and impressive ceiling.

The Blue Jays face some uncertainty after AL pennant victory

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Toronto surely still has a bitter taste in its mouth after watching Anthony Santander post a .565 OPS and play only 54 games in the first season of a five-year, $92.5 million contract, so ownership and general manager Ross Atkins may need some time to mentally prepare themselves before embarking on another expensive endeavor. However, Kyle Tucker could hold considerable value to this specific organization.

With Bichette also in free agency and the 36-year-old George Springer unlikely to replicate the spectacular .309/.399/.560/.959 slash line he tallied in 2025, the Blue Jays may feel incentivized to fortify their lineup. Pairing franchise cornerstone Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with an impactful contributor like Tucker is quite the alluring scenario.

Toronto would never have come within two outs and one hit of winning a title if not for unheralded players like Ernie Clement, Addison Barger, Nathan Lukes and Davis Schneider. Scrappy offense is a huge part of this squad's identity, but some additional star power could help.

Assuming both sides can reach a reasonable deal, a Tucker-Blue Jays union might be the best way to ensure that the Rogers Centre remains one of the liveliest environments in baseball.