Toronto Blue Jays seem to have found a plan B if Kyle Tucker signs elswhere

Sports Illustrated framed Bellinger as the «backup plan» if Toronto can't land Tucker, which tracks with how aggressive this front office has been since the World Series run.

The Jays went 94-68 in 2025, scored 798 runs, and packed Rogers Centre with 2,849,935 fans, so this isn't a team shopping for «nice» anymore.

They've already added Dylan Cease, Tyler Rogers, Kazuma Okamoto, and Cody Ponce, and MLB.com's own coverage keeps pointing to another big bat still being in play.

Tucker remains the headliner, and MLB.com has treated him as the top free-agent hitter on the board all winter as he enters his age-29 season.

Bellinger, 30, opted out of his Yankees deal, walking away from a guaranteed $25 million for 2026 in exchange for a $5 million buyout.

He also just put up a .272/.334/.480 line with 29 homers and 98 RBIs in 152 games, and both MLB.com and StatMuse line up on those numbers.

If you're a Jays fan, you can feel the split reaction already, because nobody wants «Plan B,» but everyone wants another lefty thumper. The fan mood is basically, «Fine, just don't let the offseason end quietly.»

On the field, Bellinger fits the roster in a clean, practical way. He can handle center field or left field, and the first-base experience matters behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

The bigger sell is lineup balance. Toronto's right-handed core got them to October, but a lefty bat with real power changes how opponents line up late in games.

The risk is the contract shape, not the player type. Reports around the Yankees have suggested the sticking point is term, and that's exactly where the Jays have to stay disciplined.

Still, if Tucker goes elsewhere, Bellinger is the kind of pivot that keeps Toronto in the contender lane, and the next milestone is what Ross Atkins chooses to finish before camp opens.

Source: Sports Illustrated
Yankees Star Could Be Great Backup Plan for Blue Jays in Free Agency