MLB insider gives Blue Jays Bo Bichette, Kyle Tucker ultimatum after signing Kazuma Okamoto

Hunter Cookston

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MLB insider gives Blue Jays Bo Bichette, Kyle Tucker ultimatum after signing Kazuma Okamoto image

For some time now, the Toronto Blue Jays have been assumed to have one of the strongest free agency strategies this offseason. One name to watch throughout the winter has been the biggest free-agent on the market: Kyle Tucker. While the Blue Jays are certainly in the running, the Chicago Cubs appear to be out of the picture following Tucker’s end-of-season comments.

“We'll see what happens. Don't know what the future is going to hold. If not, it's been an honor playing with all these guys and wish everyone best of luck whether it’s playing next year or not with them,” Tucker said.

Over the weekend, the Blue Jays made a significant infield signing — but it wasn’t Bo Bichette. Instead, Toronto added Japanese star Kazuma Okamoto.

“Japanese third baseman Kazuma Okamoto has signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, the team announced Sunday. The deal includes a $5 million signing bonus, and Okamoto will have a $7 million salary this year and $16 million in each of the following three seasons. Okamoto, 29, has hit a league-best 248 home runs — one more than Munetaka Murakami, who signed with the Chicago White Sox in December — since entering Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball in 2015 with the Yomiuri Giants,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote.

While this is a strong addition, MLB insider Jim Bowden points out that the Blue Jays now face a difficult decision.

“It takes them out of doing both Tucker and Bichette, but it doesn't take them out of doing one or the other,” Bowden said on Foul Territory.

No matter how the situation is approached, the Blue Jays will likely have to choose between signing the top free agent on the market or retaining a player who has grown up with the organization. If one is expected to walk, it will likely be Bichette.

Toronto is still determining the best path forward this offseason. The good news is the Blue Jays can go all-in for one of the two stars; the downside, of course, is that the other may end up signing elsewhere.

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