MLB winters are here, which means it’s Scott Boras season again. So, big deals and star players are the talk of the town, and this time it’s a lot about Alex Bregman. The veteran third baseman is back on the market, and Boras is fully prepped to get him the best deal– even if it requires pushing him away from an established team like Boston, where he is doing very well to a completely new one.

Well, the rumors suggest that Bregman could end up in Toronto. At least that’s what Jim Bowden is suggesting.

“However, there are several contending teams that Bregman would be a difference-maker for if he signs with any of them, including the Tigers, Phillies, Mariners, Yankees, Mets, and Blue Jays, as well as non-contending teams like the Angels and Pirates. His free agency is going to be must-watch during the Winter Meetings.”

Well, Bowden’s analysis put the Blue Jays now in the picture, and this is where things can get difficult for Addison Barger in there.

See, the Jays are already juggling a chaotic winter. They are trying to figure out what to do with their run for Bo Bichette, also monitoring Tucker’s megadeal market, and also staying afloat the Ketel Marte trade rumors.

Now, if you add Bregman into the picture, someone who is a steady bat and a proven postseason player, then Toronto has an uncomfortable part they need to face: someone has to move, or the infield picture gets crowded. This is where Barger’s future in the team gets sketchy.

Already for weeks, analysts have hinted that Barger could be the piece Jays part with if they pursue Marte. On Locked On Blue Jays, Brayden Ewasko put it plainly: “If they do get Bo Bichette, they’re probably not getting Kyle Tucker… And so in that situation, you’re alright giving up Addison Barger.”

Plus, Toronto’s financial math makes it even trickier. Bichette could cost over $200 million, Tucker might command $440 million, and Marte’s contract runs through 2028. Even after a dip, Bregman has still proven to be a .275 career hitter with a 133 wRC+. So he won’t be any less expensive, and you bet being a Boras client– they won’t settle for less.

Jays now want to do something they missed out on–just win the World Series. They are not afraid to spend– but if they do go for Bregman, then Barger is one name that could walk out.

But does Alex Bregman even fit with the Toronto Blue Jays?

Not everything that insiders say is locked in truth. The question is whether the Boston man is even fit for Toronto. Now, there is no doubt that he is one of the most intriguing names in free agency, but the truth is, he comes with equal parts upside and uncertainty. He is no longer the player who tore the league apart back in 2019 with a .296/.423/.592 line, but he’s still betting big and aiming high.

And as far as the connection with Jays goes, it’s not as wild as it sounds. The Toronto Blue Jays already have a strong defensive option in the infield. Ernie Clement, Andrés Giménez, and others can pick it clean. But what they don’t have is the steady offensive production that Bregman, even in a down year, can bring.

ESPN has projected that Alex Bregman could get a five-year, $160 million deal this offseason, and that price point alone tells you that the teams see him as a reliable bat. Now the Jays apparently had interest in him last season, too. Nothing happened then, but Jays are in a different mindset now – so what say you?

Here is where it gets tricky, Bregman’s defense. His glove is not now what it used to be, and if he can’t get back to his 2018-19 form, then the Jays could be paying premium dollars for some average leather– that’s a huge gamble.

But even then, Toronto can take that bet and quietly become, if not a perfect fit, an impactful one for the Jays.