Toronto Blue Jays pivoting to another all-star after losing out on Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker

The pivot got loud Friday, because the Jays were in on Tucker and still came up short. When that happens, fans immediately ask if the next move is bold, or just a consolation prize.

Shi Davidi floated Bellinger as a real fit, a left-handed complement who could lengthen the lineup and cover the outfield.

The appeal is obvious when you look at the production. Bellinger hit .272 with 29 homers and 98 RBIs over 152 games last season, and that is the kind of volume bat Toronto keeps chasing.

Toronto already added Kazuma Okamoto on a four-year, $60 million deal, so this would be doubling down on offense rather than patching it. That also signals the front office believes the 2025 run was not a fluke.

Guerrero is the anchor, and the 2025 line shows why, .292 with 23 homers, 84 RBIs, and an .848 OPS in 156 games. Give him a true left-handed threat nearby, and the pitch mix he sees should finally change.

The fit is also tactical, not just shiny. Bellinger can handle the outfield and first base, which matters if the Jays want days off for older bodies and a cleaner DH rotation.

The tricky part is cost, because Davidi also noted Toronto is already living in tax territory and every new dollar gets punished hard. If the Jays are paying premium rates, the add has to be a difference maker, not a name.

My take is that Bellinger makes sense only if the contract stays tight on years. If you are building around Guerrero and a deep rotation, you cannot clog 2028 with a decline risk you saw coming.

Toronto either now lands a real middle-order bat, or this winter momentum turns into another «almost» by Monday's headline.