Blue Jays reportedly emerge as suitor for five-time All-Star 1B Freddie Freeman

Freddie Freeman is still without a free-agent deal, and that is potentially opening the door for a new team to swoop in like a bird of prey.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported Monday that the Toronto Blue Jays have recently conveyed serious interest in conversations with Freeman’s camp. Morosi adds that Freeman is a dual citizen of both the United States and Canada and even played for Canada at the 2017 World Baseball Classic. The veteran slugger is also represented by Excel Sports Management, the agency that negotiated George Springer’s deal with the Blue Jays last year.

Freeman, a five-time All-Star, is now seen as very unlikely to return to his longtime team, the Atlanta Braves. That is because they just made a big trade for a potential Freeman replacement.

Both before and after the MLB lockout, a couple of powerhouse teams were reported to be the favorites for Freeman. The Blue Jays are definitely more of a dark horse. But they won 91 games last year and can surround Freeman with a dynamic core of players including Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and newly signed pitchers Kevin Gausman and Yusei Kikuchi. If the money is right for Freeman, Toronto has a strong case to make here.