Blue Jays superstar's uncertain future could hinder Juan Soto pursuit, per insider

The Toronto Blue Jays are positively starved for a high-priced free-agent superstar. But that doesn't guarantee that they will be able to sign one.

Last winter, the Blue Jays famously missed out on Shohei Ohtani, who signed a landmark $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This winter, they're after superstar outfielder Juan Soto, who could wind up signing for roughly the same dollar amount.

The Blue Jays met with Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, in Southern California earlier this week, and for all intents and purposes, it seems as if they'll be willing to meet his financial demands. However, one insider believes there is another limiting factor in the Blue Jays' pursuit of Soto.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network said Friday that the Blue Jays' uncertain future with first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the best player on their current roster, could be an issue for Toronto as they hope to lure Soto to join them for the foreseeable future.

Morosi used the Boston Red Sox and their long-term extension with third baseman Rafael Devers as a comparison to show Toronto's disadvantage in the Soto sweepstakes.

"The Red Sox have their other franchise cornerstone guy in Rafael Devers signed long-term; the Blue Jays don't with Vladdy," Morosi said. "So that's the one piece of this with Toronto that gives me pause."

"If Soto signs with the Jays, hypothetically, what do we know about where Vladdy's future is and where he might go a year from now? Do they have enough money to sign them both? With the Red Sox, at least we know that Rafael Devers is already signed... I think that makes the Red Sox a little more appealing."

Soto is still favored to sign with one of the two New York teams, either the incumbent New York Yankees or the cash-laden New York Mets. The Blue Jays hope to crash the party, but having just one year of team control remaining for Guerrero could be their undoing.

It's a conundrum: One year from now, the Blue Jays could have two superstars. They could have one. Or in a doomsday scenario where they miss out on Soto and Guerrero leaves, they could be left standing in the dust.

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