Blue Jays Breaking News: Jays Sign Torres, Bichette vs Tucker, Santander Deal Criticized

Blue Jays Breaking News: Jays Sign Torres, Bichette vs Tucker, Santander Deal Criticized

Hello Jay’s Nation. Welcome back to your go-to channel, Toronto Blue Jays News Network. Today we have three jam-packed updates about our Blue Army, which have surfaced or come to our notice just a few hours ago. So, if you are a true Jay’s fan, you don’t want to miss these updates. And yes, before we start the video, I request you if you are new to the channel, then don’t forget to like and subscribe so that you can stay in the loop for all the latest Toronto Blue Jays news and analysis. So, let’s dive into today’s first major update. Update one, the Cuban connection. Blue Jays snag international free agent pitching prospect for $200,000. We’re kicking things off with some exciting news on the international front. The Toronto Blue Jays have officially signed Cuban right-handed pitcher Alies Torres as an international free agent. Who is Ali Torres? Torres is an 18-year-old righty who has inked a deal with a bonus of $200,000. He left Cuba in 2024 and has been developing his skills at the Cheeky Mahas Academy in Bonau, Dominican Republic. What should we be excited about? Well, his fast ball already sits in the low 90s, topping out at a respectable 94 mph. But it’s not just the heat. He also features a change up and a slider, giving him a three- pitch arsenal that the Blue Jays will look to develop further. The reports indicate there’s a real chance to develop his slider and change up, which could make him a formidable arm in the future. Part of a bigger plan, this signing continues a trend for the Blue Jays, who have brought in quite a few pitchers out of Cuba in the past few seasons. This is the same organization that has seen success with Cuban righty Rafael Sanchez who signed in May 2022 and has since progressed all the way to the double A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. They also signed another Cuban right-hander Silano Havaria in 2024 and at 22 years old he has progressed enough to be considered a top 20 prospect in the Blue Jays system. This move was largely made possible thanks to the now legendary Miles Straw trade back in January. The Blue Jays took on Straw’s contract and in doing so acquired $2 million in international free agency bonus pool money for the 2025 season. While that initial trade was made with hopes of landing Rocky Sasaki who ended up signing with the Dodgers, it has gifted us this flexibility to sign talent like Torres and notably South Korean righty moon Jun who was signed at the end of the 2025 regular season for a substantial bonus of $1.5 million. The bonus pool situation with the signing of Alies Torres for $200,000. The current projection suggests that the Blue Jays have about $400,000 in bonus pool money remaining. This is a critical amount because this money does not carry over to the following season. The team has until December 15th to use it before the 2026 period opens on January 15th, 2026. We are definitely watching closely to see if they end up signing another international prospect in the coming week and a half. It is important to note the financial planning for the future though. The Blue Jays will have $500,000 deducted from next year’s signing bonus pool due to the signing of Anthony Santandere last season. Additionally, $1 million will be deducted from their 2027 bonus pool as a result of signing Dylan CE just last week. These are big commitments, but they show the organization is serious about both developing from within and making significant moves for the current roster. This is a fantastic under the radar pickup, and we wish Ali Torres the best as he starts his journey in the Blue Jays organization. That’s the lowdown on the Blue Jays latest international signing. Update two, the milliondoll question. Is two-time all-star Bo Bashette more likely to sign than Kyle Tucker? Jay’s Nation, get ready for a deep dive into the most intense free agency drama of the off season. Our Toronto Blue Jays have already been incredibly active, signing Ace Dylan Cease to a massive 7-year, $210 million deal and reportedly agreeing to a three-year deal with Korean baseball organization KBO most valuable player, right-hander Cody Pon. But the biggest question remains, what about a position player splash? The Kyle Tucker visit. The rumors reached a fever pitch this week when the top free agent on the market, all-star outfielder Kyle Tucker, was reportedly spotted visiting the Blue Jays state-of-the-art facility in Florida on Wednesday. This is a huge deal. Tucker has an outstanding career, posting an onbase plus slugging OPS of865 with 147 home runs. He is projected to receive a contract of at least 10 years and $350 million with some estimates reaching up to $400 million. In fact, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that rival executives already see the Blue Jays as the favorites for Tucker. But while the buzz is electric, let’s talk about the competition and the cost. The Bo Bashette factor MLB insider Mark Feinand recently threw a fascinating curveball into the mix, suggesting that our homegrown superstar, two-time all-star shorts stop Bo Bashette, is a more likely candidate to sign with the Blue Jays than Kyle Tucker. Why? According to Fineand, there is less competition for his services compared to Tucker, who is on the radar of a number of big market clubs. This makes a lot of sense. The Blue Jays and Bo Bishette share a deep history. He has spent his entire career with the club and has publicly stated that he wants to stay in Toronto. Bo is a massive fan favorite and one of the best hitters in baseball, having led the American League in hits twice in his career, the contract battle and the great debate. The debate comes down to money and roster fit. First, the money. The Blue Jays recently gave Vladimir Guerrero Jr. a massive extension. A 14-year, $500 million contract earlier in the season. Committing another $400 million plus to Kyle Tucker may be unlikely. For Bishette, Blue Jays insider Keegan Mat of MLB.com suggests the team should look at a comparable deal to what the San Francisco Giants gave shortstop Willia Dams last year, a 7-year, $182 million deal. This would give Bett an annual average value AAV of $26 million. Mat even suggests Bett could command a contract up to $200 million. Second, the fit. While Bett’s bat is elite, questions remain about his defense at shortstop, which is why a potential move to second base has been floated. Tucker, on the other hand, is considered a better all-around player who provides elite production in the outfield. However, despite the massive payroll commitment, which would see the Blue Jays carry seven contracts valued at at least $16.5 million if they sign Tucker, Feinand did not rule out the Blue Jays signing both superstars. He noted that Toronto certainly has enough money to do it if that’s what ownership wants to do. As Mat puts it, the club has the money and the motivation to make big moves, especially after staging a remarkable worstto first turnaround in the 2025 season, winning 94 games and coming within two outs of winning only the third World Series in franchise history. The organization is clearly going all out for the World Series again. For now, the conventional wisdom leans toward Bishette as the more realistic option as he is expected to be cheaper and has already expressed his preferred destination. But the Tucker visit shows the Blue Jays are serious about adding an impact bat, and the winter meetings starting on Monday will surely bring this saga to a head. Update three. Brutal reality check. Blue Jays biggest free agent deal. Named one of baseball’s worst contracts. All right, Jay’s fans. This one is a tough pill to swallow, but it’s the kind of honest reporting we need on the Toronto Blue Jays news network. Last off season, the Blue Jays made a massive splash by signing veteran slugger Anthony Santander. General manager Ross Atkins called it a great fit at the time. exactly what the team needed for a power bat, someone who could do damage on a nightly basis. Unfortunately, the deal did not pan out in the first year of his 5-year, $92.5 million deal. The disastrous 2025 season’s first season in Toronto was frankly disastrous. He was plagued by injuries. He first dealt with a left shoulder dislocation, jack inflammation, which sidelined him for most of the season. While he was able to return for the playoffs, a subsequent back injury ended his postseason prematurely. In his age 30 season, Santandere appeared in just 54 games. His offensive production was abysmal, hitting only.175 with just six home runs and 18 runs batted in RBIs. For context, the year prior he hit 235 with 44 home runs and 102 RBI. worst contract in baseball. This brutal first season led to a painful reality check for the organization. MLB analyst Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic named Santandere’s deal the fourth worst contract in all of baseball. Stavenhagen wrote that while the Blue Jays made the World Series, they did so largely in spite of Santandere’s first season in Canada. He pointed out the significant risk in the profile, noting that Santandere’s lifetime on base percentage is only 305 and he provides little defensive value. The reality is the Blue Jays might be stuck with this risky profile for the next four seasons. While the deferred money makes the contract a bit easier to swallow for now, it will certainly feel worse in the future if Santandere can’t turn it around. Moving forward, active off season continues. The good news is that the Blue Jays, who came within two outs of winning the World Series in 2025, are not letting one bad contract define their future. Management is expected to be incredibly active this off season. They have already made their statement by signing Dylan Cease to a massive contract. And as we discussed in update two, they are aggressively pursuing another impact bat like Kyle Tucker or bringing back Bo Bashette. General manager Ross Atkins is loving this time of year, calling it extremely productive for cutting to the chase on priorities and opportunities. The Blue Jays owners and president chief executive officer Mark Shapiro are giving every indication that they plan to push the payroll even further in their quest to better their performance this year where they managed a worstto first turnaround. They have the money and the motivation to make this happen. The team is currently tied for the seventh best odds of winning the World Series at plus 1600, showing the faith the league has in the defending American League champions. Santandere’s situation is a harsh reminder that not all big signings work out, but the organization is clearly motivated to learn from it and keep pursuing the talent needed to win that World Series trophy. Woo! What a day, Jay’s Nation. We covered the sneaky high upside international signing of 18-year-old Cuban right-hander Ali Torres for $200,000. The message is clear. The Blue Jays are all in. From developing young international talent to pursuing the biggest names in free agency, this team has the money and the motivation to finally bring the World Series. Back to Toronto. The winter meetings are officially upon us and you can expect the rumor mill to be spinning at maximum speed. What update got you the most fired up? Do you think the Jays can sign both Bette and Tucker? Let me know in the comments below. Don’t forget to like this video. Subscribe to the Toronto Blue Jays News Network for non-stop updates and hit that notification bell so you don’t miss a single breaking story as we head toward the next great Blue Jays season. Thanks for watching and we’ll see you in the next one. Go Jays, go.

Blue Jays Breaking News: Jays Sign Torres, Bichette vs Tucker, Santander Deal Criticized

⭐Description:

Stay tuned, Jays Nation! In today’s Toronto Blue Jays Breaking News update, we cover a major international signing, the latest on Bo Bichette vs. Kyle Tucker contract drama, and a tough reality check on one of the Jays’ biggest free-agent deals. From roster upgrades to long-term payroll strategy, here’s everything you need to know as the Blue Jays push for another World Series run. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for the latest Toronto Blue Jays news, rumors, trades, and analysis!

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⭐ 3 Key Topics Covered:

1. Jays Sign Cuban Pitcher Alieski Torres

Toronto lands 18-year-old right-hander Alieski Torres for $200K, continuing their international pitching pipeline. His low-90s fastball and developing off-speed mix make him a high-upside long-term prospect.

2. Bo Bichette vs. Kyle Tucker: Who Will Toronto Sign?

Insiders suggest Bichette may be the more realistic signing due to less competition and salary flexibility, even as Kyle Tucker’s visit sparks massive free-agency buzz.

3. Anthony Santander Contract Ranked Among MLB’s Worst

After an injury-plagued, underperforming season, analysts now list Santander’s $92.5M deal as one of baseball’s worst—though the Jays remain aggressive in improving the roster.

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