Blue Jays trading Bo Bichette 'most likely' amid contract negotiations

The Toronto Blue Jays are in a tough spot, having to decide whether to pay Bo Bichette like the guy who was a star from 2021-23 while weighing what his 2024 struggles mean.

So far this season, Bichette is hitting a lot of singles but not much else, complicating matters even a little more.

Toronto has another option as the trade deadline gets closer, of course. They could trade Bichette, in the last season of his contract.

Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller calls Bichette the "most likely" Toronto player to be traded.

Here's what Miller wrote to break it down:

Of all 30 teams, I'm least confident in projecting a buyer or seller with the Toronto Blue Jays.

They haven't played particularly well, last boasting a winning record a full month ago. But they've also invested so much money into this season that it's kind of hard to see them throwing in the towel—unless they can somehow shave close to $30M off their payroll to get below the luxury tax threshold, which only becomes possible if they start unloading guys with multiple years of team control remaining.

If their sub-.500 ways continue, though, the calls about impending free agent Bo Bichette (as well as Chris Bassitt) may become too much to ignore.

Bichette had a dreadful and injury-filled season in 2024, but he's looking back to at least 90 percent of his old self these days, batting .292 and only a few slugging percentage points away from matching what fetched him AL MVP votes in each year from 2021-23.

They won't be shopping Bichette, so to speak, but they might be willing to be blown away by an offer.

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The Blue Jays have already invested heavily in their future with the Vladimir Guerrero Jr. contract.

Will they double down and pay Bichette?

There's clearly more risk involved, but he also plays shortstop a premium position.

His trade value might also be tricky to nail down. If a team thinks Bichette won't sign an extension with them, why would they deal much for him at all?

But on the flip side, if another team gets the sense that Bichette would stick around long-term, they might be willing to give away a few solid prospects for him.

It's not a story that'll go away until Bichette signs a new deal or moves on, one way or the other.

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