You know it was an absolute s*** show when other executives around the league are left dumbfounded.
From the Athletic,
It was a dubious strategy, especially without a deal in place, prompting one rival executive to say, “My phone has been blowing up all day with ‘wtf Jays.’” An executive still involved in the process took note of the Blue Jays adding to the pool of money they could offer Sasaki, but took some solace in the fact that Wolfe had given the remaining clubs similar instructions. But the Blue Jays’ motivation was clear: They hoped that their push for Sasaki would end differently from their failed runs at Ohtani and Juan Soto, which only teased the fan base and further framed the franchise as perpetual runners-up.