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The Toronto Blue Jays are currently in last place in the American League East. Toronto has battled mediocrity all season long and people around the MLB world are beginning to wonder if the Blue Jays will consider a rebuild. If Toronto opts to go in that direction, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette may end up getting traded this season.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post recently revealed an underlying reason as to why Guerrero and Bichette could emerge as trade candidates.
“If the Blue Jays do trade either Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or Bo Bichette — and it won’t be easy for them — one big factor may be the lack of progress made in previous contract talks,” Heyman wrote in a recent article.
Guerrero has one year of team control remaining before hitting free agency. Bichette is in the exact same situation. So why would Toronto feel the need to trade both players in 2024?
If the Blue Jays wait until the offseason or next year, then potentially interested teams would only be acquiring the players for one full season or just a half season. If a contender acquires Bichette or Guerrero before the 2024 trade deadline, though, the team would have a year and a half of team control remaining.
A a result, the Blue Jays would receive a far more enticing return. And if the Blue Jays agree to trade both players in the same deal, which seems unlikely but is possible, Toronto would receive an incredible return package.
It is more likely that either only one of them will be traded or they will be dealt away in separate deals. Of course, the possibility of neither player getting traded is still realistic.
The Blue Jays' performance over the next two months will help to determine their final decision.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette's 2024 seasons with Blue Jays
Guerrero, a three-time All-Star, is slashing .294/.389/.412/.802 so far in 2024. He's hit five home runs and 10 doubles across 55 games played.
Guerrero is hitting the ball well overall, but his power numbers are down. He's hitting the ball hard but his fly-ball rate has seen a decrease. As a result, Guerrero isn't hitting the long ball as often despite still getting base hits. This has led to Guerrero recording a respectable .294 batting average.
One has to imagine that his power numbers will spike at some point. After all, this is a player who led the league in home runs with 48 back in 2021.
Bichette is a two-time All-Star who is currently slashing .251/.298./365/.663. The Blue Jays shortstop has hit four home runs and nine doubles in 52 games played.
Bichette is struggling. He has a proven track record, though, so the belief is that he will bounce back sooner rather than later.
Bichette is also just 26 years old, while Guerrero is 25. Their ceilings and age will lead to no shortage of interest if the Blue Jays ultimately make them available for potential trades this season.
And the entire MLB landscape could see a shift if both players are dealt away in 2024.
