The Toronto Blue Jays are desperate to make an impact and move closer to contention in 2025. Luring top free agents to Canada has been more challenging than the front office and ownership probably anticipated, so the team has turned to the trade market to try to improve.
The Blue Jays have turned to the trade market amidst free-agency struggles
Toronto recently flipped Spencer Horwitz and outfield prospect Nick Mitchell to the Cleveland Guardians for Andrés Giménez, a former Platinum Glove award winner with offensive issues but a bit of upside on that front.
Gimenez could potentially move to shortstop and excel there given his raw defensive talent, range, and high IQ. This makes longtime Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette expendable and available for a trade. The Blue Jays are certainly open to the possibility of trading Bichette, however, they won’t just give him away:
“The Blue Jays are open to trading SS Bo Bichette, ‘but only for a high price,’ per @Ken_Rosenthal,” MLB Deadline News posted on X.
Bichette had long been one of the most consistent shortstops in the American League, averaging 4.53 fWAR from 2021 to 2023. The 2024 campaign was a disaster for him, though, between injuries and underperformance.
The Blue Jays might move their star for the right return
The talented infielder hit .225/.277/.332 with a horrible 71 wRC+ after being at least at 120 in each and every season in MLB. Bichette is just 26, so he will likely perform if healthy, but only has a season left of team control.
He would be a gamble in every sense of the word. The Blue Jays are risking losing a legitimate four-win player for 2025, and potentially acquiring teams could get a similar season to the one he had in 2024. He carries enormous potential to help a contender, though.
If the Blue Jays do trade Bichette, they could move Giménez to shortstop and use either Davis Schneider or young prospect Orelvis Martinez at second base.
But will they actually deal one of their best players over one bad season instead of retaining him, extending him, or moving him at the deadline? That will depend on the offer.