Blue Jays Predicted to Cut Ties With Fan Favorite All-Star

There are a few ways the Toronto Blue Jays could look at what they’ve done over the past few weeks. After signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a long-term extension, why not keep his running mate, Bo Bichette, around? Sure, that would be the logical thing to do, but the Blue Jays also have to be careful in the decisions they make. 

Despite that reality, many expect Bichette to be traded before the deadline, as the Blue Jays don’t want to lose him for nothing in free agency next winter. 

If the Blue Jays only plan to sign Guerrero Jr. to a long-term extension, which seems to be the case after making the deal, Bichette will be the odd man out. 

That’s why Zach Pressnell of FanSided believes the team will move on from him over the next few months. He adds that it wouldn’t be surprising if the Blue Jays cut ties with him by the deadline. 

“There are quite a few reasons the Blue Jays could trade Bichette.

“The first one is his expiring contract. Like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bichette’s original contract expires at the end of the season. But Guerrero Jr. was handed a 14-year, $500 million contract extension this season. With Vladdy landing such a luxurious deal, it’s very unlikely the Blue Jays fork up another couple hundred million dollars to land a long-term extension for Bichette. It’s always seemed ike the Blue Jays would only have the money to pay one of the two, and it looks like it’s only going to be Guerrero Jr,” Pressnell wrote.

Should the Blue Jays Move Bichette?

There’s another side to this story when it comes to Bichette, however. 

The Toronto Blue Jays, perhaps more than any team in Major League Baseball over the past few years, haven’t been able to attract stars in any way. 

The Blue Jays have done nothing but miss out on marquee free agents, and that’s a very concerning sign for a big-market team that wants to compete in the near future. 

If Bichette wants to stay, why get rid of him when they know they’ll likely not be able to replace him in free agency? 

That’s a valid question and something the Blue Jays have to consider moving forward.

Bichette Contract Prediction

The Toronto Blue Jays won’t have to pay Bichette nearly as much as they did with Guerrero, with some predicting that he could be worth slightly above $200 million in free agency. 

One prediction came from Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors, who added that if Bichette continues to swing the bat at the level he has over the past few years, he should be looking at a deal similar to Trevor Story’s and others. 

“If Bichette’s early positive signs at the plate ultimately yield a rebound to his prior form, that age and production from a shortstop-capable middle infielder will likely push him north of $200MM. Even if he has only a partial rebound at the plate, his age, position and offensive upside should land him in the $140-175MM range we saw with other shortstops on the right side of 30 (Javier Baez, Trevor Story, Dansby Swanson),” they wrote.

With plenty to consider, the Blue Jays have to be smart. They don’t want to lose him for nothing, but it isn’t a guarantee that they’ll ever find anybody as good as him if they let him walk in free agency, too.

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