The Los Angeles Dodgers could use a new shortstop and the Toronto Blue Jays happen to be struggling in 2024. So will LA acquire Bo Bichette?
Rumors about a Dodgers-Blue Jays trade have been making the rounds for a while now. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently reported the Dodgers could be a landing destination for Bichette if the Blue Jays make him available.
Toronto holds just a 36-43 record as of this story's writing. They are in last place in the American League East. It is worth noting that Bichette has endured a down 2024 campaign. According to Rosenthal, the Dodgers may see him as a “prime change-of-scenery candidate.” In other words, LA could believe that Bichette will bounce back as a result of a trade.
There is no reason to doubt a Bichette rebound. He is only 26 years old and is already a two-time All-Star.
The fit makes sense for the Dodgers. LA was already being mentioned as a trade destination for shortstops, as they reportedly are open to moving Mookie Betts to second base. Meanwhile, Gavin Lux has yet to find his rhythm at the plate. Of course, Los Angeles and Toronto already agreed to a Cavan Biggio deal, so the team's recent history of trade talks could lead to another move.
Betts is injured right now. If the Dodgers acquire a shortstop such as Bichette before he returns, Betts could immediately take over second base duties.
Bo Bichette's 2024 season
Bichette has played at the MLB level since 2019. The Blue Jays built their team around Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. With both players expected to hit free agency soon barring contract extensions, as well as the Blue Jays' underperformance, Bichette and Guerrero have emerged as trade candidates.
Guerrero is playing well for the most part in 2024. He will certainly draw interest if the Blue Jays decide to trade him. Bichette will also receive interest despite his down season.
The infielder is slashing just .234/.285/.337/.622 across 67 games played in 2024. He has four home runs as well. The underlying numbers suggest the Bichette can return to form at some point, however. These numbers will catch the Dodgers' attention.
According to Baseball Reference, Bichette is still hitting the ball hard for the most part. In 2023, Bichette recorded a 45.3 percent hard-hit rate. That mark has decreased in 2024 but not by much. He currently has a 44.8 percent hard-hit rate.
His line-drive rate is higher than his career average and his fly-ball rate is higher than his 2023 mark. Additionally, Bichette is striking out less in 2024 than 2023 and is drawing walks at a more consistent rate.
So why has the Blue Jays shortstop struggled?
Bichette owns a career BAPip (batting average on balls in play) of .340. In 2023, he recorded a .355 BABip. The lowest mark of his career up to this point was .339, which he posted in 2021.
In 2024, however, Bichette has a .269 BABip. He seems to just be getting unlucky. Additionally, Bichette owns the lowest home run percentage of his career right now. The numbers suggest that Bichette's luck will turn around soon.
Future Dodgers shortstop?
Miguel Rojas and Gavin Lux can play shortstop. But if the Dodgers don't make a move, Betts will probably play shortstop again once he returns from injury. That would not be a bad alternative, but he is a better defender at second base.
LA seemingly wants an upgrade to join Betts in the middle infield. Rojas is a terrific utility player, while Lux was once considered a future star. The Dodgers probably don't want to start either player on a consistent basis right now, though.
Bo Bichette will continue to be linked to the Dodgers as trade season heats up.
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