Blue Jays cap whirlwind Meetings with much still up in air

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- What a week.

The Blue Jays’ pursuit of Shohei Ohtani has launched the Toronto market into an absolute frenzy, eyes growing wider by the moment at the thought of baseball’s brightest star coming north of the border.

Over three fascinating days at the MLB Winter Meetings, Blue Jays reps ducked and dodged questions on Ohtani, leaning into the secrecy he so covets. It’s clear what is happening, though: the Blue Jays are legitimate finalists with a realistic opportunity to pull off the biggest move in this franchise’s history.

Here’s how the week looked in Nashville:

Monday: GM Ross Atkins speaks to reporters from a mystery location, sparking questions.
Late Monday: Reports of Ohtani visiting the Blue Jays’ facilities in Dunedin, Fla., emerge.
Tuesday: The plot thickens, and the Blue Jays grow even more secretive … by design.

Here’s where the Blue Jays stand:

BIGGEST REMAINING NEEDS

1. Shohei Ohtani
Toronto's hopes have rarely been higher. We’re talking about adding Connor McDavid to the Maple Leafs, Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Raptors, Patrick Mahomes to the Argonauts.

Once you believe a dream may come true, it’s difficult to settle for anything less.

• Could the Blue Jays land Ohtani?

Ohtani’s decision continues to hold up the market, and he has every right to do that. Drawing this out another week won’t lessen the sound of the explosion this sends across the baseball world, but given that Ohtani and his representatives have recently met with teams -- including the Blue Jays and Dodgers -- this is clearly entering the final stages. When Ohtani happens, so will everything else.

“It’s not moving. The reasons are relatively obvious,” Atkins said, “and also exciting.”

2. Third base
Matt Chapman remains an option for the Blue Jays, but that likely only makes sense in a world where they miss out on Ohtani. The market offers other solutions, while stopgaps like Gio Urshela are available as a veteran complement.

If the Blue Jays spend big elsewhere, this is where they could lean on an impressive group of infield depth that’s knocking on the door of the big leagues all at once. That group includes Davis Schneider, Orelvis Martinez, Addison Barger, Leo Jimenez, Ernie Clement and Damiano Palmegiani. It’s possible Santiago Espinal and Cavan Biggio also see time there, but not as starters.

3. Left field
Here is Toronto’s opening to add some power to a lineup that needs to re-embrace its offensive identity in 2024. With Daulton Varsho capable of elite defense in center field, the Blue Jays should have plenty of options via free agency or trade in a corner spot. There hasn’t been enough attention put on this spot yet, and understandably so, but it is crucial to their efforts to improve the lineup.

4. Rotation depth
Alek Manoah will be “given every chance” to win the No. 5 job, says John Schneider. The Blue Jays need some competition for Manoah and, beyond that, need depth to protect them against injuries in case 2024 isn’t quite as healthy as these past few years.

This won’t be a move the Blue Jays rush into, instead waiting for their larger moves to shape the offseason first. In the right situation, Toronto remains open to a reunion with Hyun Jin Ryu. Keep that name in mind.

RULE 5 DRAFT

The Blue Jays didn’t make a selection in the MLB phase and didn’t lose a player, either, which is a positive outcome for them.

In the Minor League phase, Toronto selected Alexis Hernandez, a 21-year-old outfielder who spent 2023 with Boston's Single-A affiliate. Over 42 games, he hit .252 with a .709 OPS and three home runs. The Blue Jays lost Single-A infielder Angel Del Rosario to the Twins and Trevor Schwecke, a utilityman who reached Triple-A, to the Phillies.

GM’S BOTTOM LINE

Atkins won’t say a word until Ohtani’s contract is signed, sealed and official … with whichever club the superstar chooses.

“Everything that we’re doing to make the team better, to the extent that we will keep private, we will do,” Atkins said. “Meetings that occur, don’t occur, I’m not going to get into the specifics of."

One question hangs over everything else, though. What next?

If the Blue Jays land Ohtani, they’ll continue to push for a World Series run in 2024. Atkins said it would be “exceptionally difficult” to add two players from the top of the market, which is obvious, but he reiterated that the support of ownership is a strength that’s only grown over recent years.

“I would never eliminate us,” Atkins said.