As trade rumours swirl around the Toronto Blue Jays, Bo Bichette isn’t going to be shocked if he is dealt ahead of July 30’s trade deadline.
Despite general manager Ross Atkins’ insistence that the team is focused on winning right now, during his media availability Thursday, the Blue Jays shortstop didn’t mince words about any potential trade.
“No. Not surprised at all,” Bichette told Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae when asked if he would be caught off guard by a move.
While Bichette has struggled in 2024, posting a .233/.284/.336 slash line with four home runs over 68 games this season, the 26-year-old would likely be one of the more attractive pieces available at this year’s deadline.
Bichette is a two-time All-Star who has led the American League in hits twice. Since 2021, he ranks second among all shortstops in batting average and doubles, seventh in home runs, third in RBIs and is tied for first in hits.
So, with his contract due to expire at the end of the 2025 season, the Blue Jays would likely receive the most in return in a potential trade at this deadline, offering two years of a top offensive shortstop.
However, Atkins has made a firm public stance that Bichette will not be traded. Earlier this season, the Blue Jays GM said that dealing Bichette or first baseman “doesn’t make any sense for us,” a statement he was asked about Thursday while appearing on the Blair & Barker show.
“They’re really good players that are part of the solution, and all of our energy is focused on supporting them at this point,” Atkins said. “It’s not just about this year, they’re under control next year, and they’ve been important to the organization, and we hope they continue to be.”
With both Guerrero and Bichette set to enter free agency in less than two calendar years, there has reportedly been an open dialogue between the Blue Jays and their two young stars in terms of reaching an extension. Of course, nothing has come to fruition, leading many to believe it is more likely the duo will be traded or sign elsewhere when their contracts are up.
However, Atkins thinks Toronto will still be able to re-sign one or both of Bichette and Guererro.
“That opportunity is still there,” he said of extensions. “It’s not going to happen before the trade deadline, you know a lot of that dialogue doesn’t happen in-season. It would take a lot on both sides for that to happen in this next off-season.
“And certainly, if it doesn’t, then we could obviously have an opportunity to do so in free agency or just before free agency. I still think it’s realistic for that to occur.”
Following the Blue Jays’ 9-2 win over the New York Yankees on Thursday, manager John Schneider was asked about his reaction to Bichette’s comments.
“My reaction is that every single guy in the clubhouse is focused on turning this around and trying to win every single day,” the skipper responded. “Other than that, don’t have much reaction to it. We’ve gotten ourselves into this spot, so our focus every day is to come out and win. We’re gonna do it again tomorrow.”