The Toronto Blue Jays have struggled to find success over the past few years and will miss the playoffs in 2024. The Blue Jays decided to blow it up to a certain extent at the trade deadline, moving several key players in exchange for young talent. But the two franchise pillars still remain — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette.
Rumors suggested that Bichette could be traded before the end of July, but his lingering calf injury complicated that. Plus, the Blue Jays would like to keep him alongside Guerrero and continue to build around the star duo. In comments to Sportsnet that went viral, Bichette also made it clear recently that his goal is to win a World Series with Guerrero.
“When I had time to think about what I want, basically, my ultimate goal really is to play with Vladdy (Guerrero Jr.) forever, to win a championship with him and to do that with this organization,” Bichette said, per Sportsnet. “I'm 100 percent committed to doing whatever it takes to accomplish those things. That's where I'm at.”
That's great. Bichette wants to stay put. But the reality is the Blue Jays have not found success with these two at the forefront, and Guerrero's next contract will be the priority.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will get paid first
Guerrero is enjoying a resurgent campaign despite the Blue Jays' struggles. He's hitting .320 with 28 home runs and 95 RBIs. The Jays have made it pretty clear that signing Guerrero is going to be priority No. 1, and we don't know how much that will cost. But to sign both of them, it will result in Toronto forking out more than $500 million.
If Bichette was healthier in '24 and performed better, this could be different. When you look at the overall value of these two, Bichette brings a lot more to the table. However, Guerrero is the one coming off a fantastic season. Bichette himself admitted in July that he wouldn't be surprised if the Jays traded him. Just because he wants to stay in Toronto, doesn't mean it will happen.
Blue Jays haven't had success with Bo Bichette-Vladimir Guerrero Jr. duo
The Blue Jays would be foolish to trade both of them. That simply won't happen. But they haven't advanced past the Wild Card Round since Bichette and Guerrero came up to the big leagues. Sure, baseball is a team game, but Toronto has built some very competitive rosters around their franchise cornerstones, but there's been nothing to show for it.
The organization's trade deadline moves signaled they're looking to at least retool right now. Bichette doesn't become a free agent until after the 2025 season, but why not just trade him this winter and get a ton of prospects in return? While he's a fantastic player, the Jays clearly aren't going all the way with him and Guerrero leading the way.
Bichette may not have the highest value this winter after a poor season where he did not swing it well at all. However, his track record is still impressive, and that can get the Blue Jays quite a bit in a blockbuster deal.
Your move, Toronto.
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