Toronto Blue Jays bow out of free-agent sweepstakes that impact the Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have not been in a better position to sign Cody Bellinger or Matt Chapman than right now, as the Toronto Blue Jays are effectively out of the running to make any more noteworthy roster acquisitions.

According to a report from The Athletics' Kaitlyn McGrath, the Blue Jays are done making major additions to their team, which suggests that Bellinger is off of their radar moving forward. Toronto's general manager Ross Atkins told the media that he "feels good about the team we have."

At this point, additions that would be of significance would mean some level of subtraction.

Matt Chapman has been the Blue Jays' full-time third baseman for the past two seasons, but Toronto's pursuit of the platinum glover effectively ended when they signed Eduardo Escobar on Friday. Although Chapman's batting average usually sits below .250, the 30-year-old smacked 39 doubles in 2023 (tied for 6th in MLB) and he usually boasts 25+ home run power. This is in addition to the fact that Chapman is arguably the best defensive third baseman in the league, with two platinum gloves and four gold gloves under his belt.

Atkins' interview means Chapman will very likely find himself on a new team in 2024, and the Cubs have been listed as one of his two top suitors for weeks at this point. Although the floor for Chapman's bat is fairly low, his elite glove would add to an already impressive Cubs defense.

As for Bellinger, I don't think I have to reiterate how much the Cubs would benefit from re-signing the slugging outfielder. He was a cornerstone of the Cubs' lineup last year and now there are fewer suitors than ever to land the superstar. The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and now Blue Jays are all big spenders who are off the board, leaving the path open for Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer. At this point, it'd be a pretty big disappointment if the Cubs began the 2024 season without at least one of these players on the team.

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