One of the New York Yankees’ AL East rivals announced their presence on the free agency scene with a bang, though it may have just taken them out of the running for perhaps the top player on the market.

Fresh off their first AL pennant since 1993 and a Game 7 loss in the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Toronto Blue Jays made the first true splash of the offseason on the open market by signing right-handed starting pitcher Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million deal that includes deferrals.

Though Cease, a former AL Cy Young Award runner-up, should make for a fantastic addition to Toronto’s rotation, landing star outfielder Kyle Tucker is likely no longer as feasible, which is music to the Yankees’ ears.

How Yankees Can Benefit from Cease Signing

Facing Cease multiple times a year for the better part of a decade doesn’t sound like any sort of fun for New York, but it may be worth it if it means Tucker heading up north is no longer in the cards.

The Blue Jays’ plans aren’t known at the moment, so a pursuit of Tucker can’t be completely out as of yet. While they may not just bow out of the sweepstakes, however, it’s hard to see a world in which the club splurges for Tucker also doing so with Cease while letting fellow free agent and fan favorite Bo Bichette sign elsewhere.

Toronto has deep pockets, but the addition of Cease has depleted its resources to some level for Tucker, who may not even be a priority over Bichette.

The Yankees are still set to battle it out against some heavy-hitters for Tucker should they remain in on his market, but the Blue Jays’ chances of inking him to a mega deal have decreased.

Tucker’s Fit with Yankees/Who Else Could Sign Him?

With back-to-back AL MVP Aaron Judge and Trent Grisham, who accepted the qualifying offer, occupying two of New York’s three outfield spots, the club still has room left for Tucker if they were to add him to their roster.

The downside of bringing someone like Tucker into the picture is the fact that Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones would be relegated to bench duties, but perhaps the Yankees could trade one or both of them in an effort to upgrade other areas of the roster or hold onto them in hopes of having one of them essentially replace Grisham next year once his QO expires.

New York has been connected to Tucker for quite some time now, as it was at the forefront of trade rumors for him last offseason when he was with the Houston Astros. Instead, he was dealt to the Chicago Cubs.

The 28-year-old ended up posting an .841 OPS with 22 home runs and 25 stolen bases for the North Siders and is in line for a $400 million-plus contract this winter.

The Yankees whiffed in their attempt to bring Juan Soto back into the fold last offseason, but perhaps they could make up for it by convincing Tucker to patrol the outfield in The Bronx for the next decade or so.

For as natural of a fit as Tucker would be for the organization, they do have to worry about the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies, among others, ultimately winning the bidding war.

Toronto can’t be completely discounted either, as previously mentioned, but the Dodgers in particular feel like a much stronger competitor for th Yankees in that regard as of now.

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