Blue Jays Manager John Schneider Leaves Little Doubt About Interest in Kyle Tucker, Notably Unlike Shohei Ohtani Visit.
Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins confirmed that outfielder Kyle Tucker visited the team's player development complex (PDC) in Dunedin, Florida last week. The news came just before the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings started, a period when teams typically make significant roster moves.
Blue Jays broadcaster Hazel Mae asked manager John Schneider about Tucker's visit, prompting Schneider to send a veiled message regarding his interest in signing Ohtani, who was recently signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers on a record-breaking deal. When questioned about Tucker's visit, Schneider mentioned that this time around, he could discuss it openly.
Schneider previously expressed skepticism over the Blue Jays' ability to sign Ohtani after the outfielder chose the Dodgers last year during his free agency. During that period, Schneider joked that if Ohtani were to visit the PDC again, he might return some gifts - presumably referring to the blue jacket and hat that Ohtani wore during his initial visit.
However, this time around, with Atkins confirming Tucker's visit, Schneider seemed genuinely pleased with what he heard. The outfielder discussed various aspects of his game, including his defense, baserunning, and baseball IQ. According to Schneider, these qualities make Tucker an excellent player whose skillset aligns well with the team's strategy.
The Blue Jays' efforts to attract Tucker appear more promising than their attempts to sign Ohtani. Schneider acknowledged that recruiting Ohtani proved challenging due to the Dodgers' offer. Nevertheless, the Blue Jays seem hopeful about signing Tucker and turning things around, at least in part thanks to a successful visit by the outfielder to their PDC.
Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins confirmed that outfielder Kyle Tucker visited the team's player development complex (PDC) in Dunedin, Florida last week. The news came just before the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings started, a period when teams typically make significant roster moves.
Blue Jays broadcaster Hazel Mae asked manager John Schneider about Tucker's visit, prompting Schneider to send a veiled message regarding his interest in signing Ohtani, who was recently signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers on a record-breaking deal. When questioned about Tucker's visit, Schneider mentioned that this time around, he could discuss it openly.
Schneider previously expressed skepticism over the Blue Jays' ability to sign Ohtani after the outfielder chose the Dodgers last year during his free agency. During that period, Schneider joked that if Ohtani were to visit the PDC again, he might return some gifts - presumably referring to the blue jacket and hat that Ohtani wore during his initial visit.
However, this time around, with Atkins confirming Tucker's visit, Schneider seemed genuinely pleased with what he heard. The outfielder discussed various aspects of his game, including his defense, baserunning, and baseball IQ. According to Schneider, these qualities make Tucker an excellent player whose skillset aligns well with the team's strategy.
The Blue Jays' efforts to attract Tucker appear more promising than their attempts to sign Ohtani. Schneider acknowledged that recruiting Ohtani proved challenging due to the Dodgers' offer. Nevertheless, the Blue Jays seem hopeful about signing Tucker and turning things around, at least in part thanks to a successful visit by the outfielder to their PDC.
. Like, yesterday the Dodgers were trying to get Ohtani and now they've got him locked down for a record-breaking deal 
. And meanwhile, Kyle Tucker is coming into play... which is actually kinda cool news! Schneider seems super stoked about it too 
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. It was all about listening to the players and trying to pick their pitches (or not 
). Now, these guys are all stars and get paid millions 
! But hey, if the Blue Jays can sign Tucker, that's a solid move... at least in my humble opinion 
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It's great to see Schneider being open about his interest in signing him too. No more secretive messages for us! 
Compared to Shohei Ohtani, Tucker seems like a more feasible target. Maybe the Blue Jays can make some magic happen this time around and get a top-notch player on their roster 
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It seems like the Blue Jays are genuinely interested in signing Tucker this time around, but it's interesting to see how they're trying to spin things compared to their Ohtani attempts.
Maybe they can even build around their young core and become a real contender? Fingers crossed! 
maybe they should've gone all out for ohtani last year instead of being all like "we'll just wait and see" now they're not even in the mix. tucker's a solid player don't get me wrong, but he's no ohtani 
now thats a big difference, and im loving the fact that tucker is actually talking to the team and sharing his game plan 
its gonna be really interesting to see how this plays out, especially considering the blue jays have been struggling lately 
but yeah, apparently john schneider is super into tucker's game now, and he seems genuinely excited about it. 
it's kinda weird that they're playing hardball now... i mean, ohtani was already signed by the dodgers, right? 
if schneider says so himself that baserunning and defense are key... gotta make it happen 
. I mean, who wouldn't want Ohtani on your team? He's a once-in-a-lifetime talent and that record-breaking deal is crazy 
. Tucker's visit was a good sign, but let's see if they can back it up with some real action 
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. If the Blue Jays can land Tucker, they're lookin at a game-changer on their roster 
maybe this is the break they need after Ohtani went to LA? I mean, signing someone like that was a long shot anyway... i'm still curious about how serious the Blue Jays are about signing him tho 
! Manager John Schneider seemed really stoked about what he heard 
The fact that they could have an open chat this time around is huge, I guess it shows they're willing to listen and make moves 
. Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani is still out there in LA, signed with the Dodgers and all 
- gotta wonder if he's feeling a little left behind