Fastball

Toronto Blue Jays Free Agent Target Juan Soto Has Joined Barry Bonds in Baseball History

The Blue Jays have an opportunity to add a history-making piece to the lineup this offseason.

Brady Farkas

New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) double during the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on Aug 4.
New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) double during the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on Aug 4. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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Free agent outfielder Juan Soto is heading for a historic payday because of his historic productivity.

The 26-year-old outfielder is hitting free agency earlier than most players do, which adds to his earning power. A Soto contract is predicted to land between $600-700 million. The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly feared to be a serious candidate for his services. They are going up against the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and New York Mets.

In addition to hitting free agency at a young age, Soto has been incredible at the plate since entering the league. He helped the Nationals win the World Series back in 2019 and helped the Yankees get there in 2024. He's already a batting champion and he's set to finish in the top three of American League MVP voting this year (in all likelihood).

If you go up and down any list in history for what hitters have accomplished by the age of 26, you will likely find Soto. Take this one, from @CodifyBaseball:

Juan Soto has walked at least 129 times in 4 consecutive seasons. Barry Bonds is the only other MLB player ever to do that.

It's not just his power that makes him great at the plate, it's also his discipline. He's not afraid to take a walk and help set the stage for those behind him.

In Toronto, that would be Vladimir Guerrero Jr., another of the top hitters in baseball. Guerrero Jr. is also likely to finish in the Top 10 of MVP voting this year.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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